Amazon is reportedly set to bid adieu to Android, ushering in a new era with its homemade Fire OS replacement. According to insights from veteran journalist Janko Roettgers on Lowpass and reported by Engadget, Amazon’s grand plan involves stripping away the Android core from future Fire TVs, smart displays, and an array of other devices. Drawing from “multiple sources with knowledge of these plans,” along with job listings and corroborating materials, Roettgers unveils Amazon’s covert shift to a Linux-based operating system, code-named “Vega.”
This clandestine OS has been incubating within the Amazon hives for years, with chipmakers getting a whiff of it as early as 2017 itself. A substantial workforce within Amazon’s Device OS group, reportedly numbering in the hundreds, has diligently toiled on bringing Vega to life. Notable in this assembly is Zibi Braniecki, a former Mozilla engineer who joined the Amazon ranks in 2022. His LinkedIn trail suggests a foray into crafting a “next-generation Operating System for Smart Home, Automotive, and other Amazon Devices product lines.”
While the release timeline remains elusive, Roettgers hints that the bulk of OS development is in the rearview mirror. Amazon is now shifting gears, focusing on fine-tuning a Software Development Kit (SDK) and plotting enticing incentives to lure developers into the Vega ecosystem.
If this covert operation succeeds, Amazon could sever ties with Google’s Android Open Source Project, which currently forms the core of Fire OS. The current software lags behind the Android curve, with the Fire TV software based on the venerable Android 9 from half a decade ago. Vega’s introduction could serve a dual purpose, liberating Amazon from the shackles of outdated software and allowing for a trimmer OS, shedding the excess baggage that comes with Android’s universal adaptability.
Lowpass hints at Vega’s reliance on React Native for app development, a framework born from the Meta realms. This choice suggests Amazon’s ambition for cross-platform prowess, harmonizing app development across iOS and Android. While the report doesn’t explicitly address Vega’s potential migration to Fire tablets, one can’t help but wonder if this Linux-based revelation might unlock new dimensions for Amazon’s versatile devices.
According to Roettgers, Amazon envisions a complete divorce from Android on all forthcoming devices. Vega, designed to transcend the confines of mere smart-home gadgets, aspires to grace realms like car infotainment systems and the enigmatic “other future hardware products.” The stage is set for Amazon to redefine its technological symphony, crafting a new tune that resonates far beyond the Android-dominated status quo.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
