- Amazon has announced a significant update to the Fire TV interface
- It will include new streaming channels and will also go to older devices
- The company had also unveiled a faster, slimmer Fire TV Stick HD
Amazon has revealed that it is updating its Fire TV platform with a new look and new streaming channels. It also reveals a new Amazon Fire TV Stick HD.
The update, which is coming to all older Fire TV devices such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, will see a new layout focused on getting users to their content more easily. Categories have been introduced so that customers can quickly access their favorite movies, TV shows, news and sports. Amazon also claims that the update will make Fire TV 30% faster.
The update will also introduce Fire TV Channels, a new feature that brings in free, ad-supported streaming channels covering a wide range of genres such as news, comedy, cooking and travel to name a few. These ‘FAST’ channels are becoming increasingly popular across some of the top TVs, with both LG (with LG channels) and Samsung (included in Tizen) including the feature.
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The Fire TV update is free and will begin rolling out to customers internationally at the end of the month, so when you’ll see the new user interface will vary by region and device.
Amazon also unveiled a new version of its Amazon Fire TV Stick HD. Amazon says it’s 30% narrower than the previous generation model, making it easier to fit with devices in other HDMI ports.
It runs from direct power through a TV’s USB port, eliminating the need for a bulkier external power adapter. Amazon also says the new Stick will also be 30% faster than the previous generation.
The new Stick HD will also receive an Adaptive Display accessibility feature that will make text and menus easier to see on the screen. It will enhance smaller items such as text while upscaling larger items such as art.
Amazon Fire TV Stick HD launches for £39.99 (US and Australia prices TBC), with pre-orders live at Amazon UK.
A Fire TV update
Fire TV comes in a wide variety of devices, so it’s great to see it getting an update in 2026. In my time using the smart TV platform, I’ve found it to be clunky, slow to navigate, and slow to respond to commands at times. If this new update actually increases the speed by 30%, it could make a huge difference.
The inclusion of FAST channels (free, ad-supported streaming channels) is welcome as it gives users more content to watch without additional fees.
While I have yet to see the new Fire TV interface in person, I can see from the image above that large banner ads will likely still be a feature. This is now common across most smart TV interfaces and continues to be a bit of a frustration. However, I will reserve full judgment until I use it myself.
It’s going to be a lot for the Fire TV to de-throne the best smart TV platforms like LG’s webOS, Roku and Samsung’s latest Tizen iteration (though I’ve yet to test the 2026 version yet), but hopefully this update will do just the trick.
As for the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD, it’s again nice to see an update to the HD models, as 4K now has three different variants available. It looks like the upgraded model will be priced the same as the previous HD Stick (£39.99 in the UK) and is likely to receive discounts during major sales events during Prime Day and Black Friday.
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