Even if some people think there's no need for an Amazon Fire TV Stick anymore, someone must not have told Jeff Bezos, as Amazon has announced a new Fire TV Stick HD model. With the ability to turn any television with an HDMI port into a smart TV, a Fire TV Stick can be a good option for accessing a variety of streaming services and content, as well as offering additional features. Now, the new Fire TV is USB-powered and has a few more surprises.
Announced in a press release and now available for preorder, the new Fire TV Stick HD promises to be the company's slimmest design yet. Amazon is touting that the new Stick is 30% narrower than the previous model, and the company aims for users to take advantage of its portability. Additionally, it includes new UI elements that Amazon is bringing to other devices, along with some additional quality-of-life improvements.
Whether you decide to go with the new Amazon Fire TV HD Stick or not, there are still plenty of accessories that can upgrade your viewing experience, though the new UI elements should also be a big help for older models. As of now, the new Fire TV HD will begin shipping on April 29 to those who preorder in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Australia, and the UK. The company states that those in France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Sweden, and the Netherlands may visit their local Amazon page to learn more about availability.
What's included with the new Amazon Fire TV HD Stick
Available for preorder for $34.99, the new Amazon Fire TV HD Stick features several improvements over previous models, including the newly redesigned UI that we explored earlier this year. The software redesign includes access to shortcuts, faster speeds, and new free, ad-supported streaming channels, also known as FAST. For those in Japan, the new experience is arriving later in April and will include an exclusive hub just for Anime. The new update is also rolling out to international users at the end of April.
For the new hardware, Amazon is also promising 30% faster speeds over the last generation, and a big thing for the new Stick is that it can be powered directly through the USB port of a television via a small cable without the need for an additional power adaptor (though that's still an option). The new Fire TV HD also includes Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3, which Amazon promises will deliver more reliable connections for users.
If you live in the UK, Canada, or the U.S., the new Fire TV HD also includes support for Alexa+, Amazon's latest AI assistant and "entertainment expert." Alexa+ can offer streaming recommendations or provide information about the content you're watching (such as information on a specific actor) while also controlling smart devices. Amazon is also adding a new Adaptive Display setting that makes smaller items, such as menus and text, larger for those who may have trouble viewing them while also scaling other UI elements accordingly.