Amazon is expanding what users can do without their hands when they pair their Fire TV streaming stick or box with an Alexa voice-enabled device, such as an Echo, effectively turning their living room TV into an Amazon Echo Show smart display device.
Users have been able for some time to do basic tasks like open OTT apps and play TV shows and movies on Fire TV, sans remote control, when pairing Fire TV to an Alexa device with far-field mics. With the new software update, paired Alexa devices can be used to do things like put calendars and weather updates on the TV screen, or access a camera feed from a smart home device.
Navigation controls are also being added that allow users to ask Alexa to “scroll right or left,” or “go back.” Amazon is also adding more music playback features, letting a smart speaker play music from a TV’s speakers.
Amazon says the new features are being deployed to all Alexa-enabled, Fire TV and Fire TV Edition devices, save for Echo Show and Echo Spot. Fire TV devices that predate Amazon’s voice remote also get the new tech. The feature will be available in the U.S. and Canada, as well as the UK.
