TL;DR
- Fire TVs are starting to show full-screen ads on startup.
- The pop-up is instructing users to download the recently redesigned Fire TV app.
Earlier this week, Amazon confirmed that Android 16-based Fire OS 16 will be the operating system for future Fire TVs. Staying on the subject of Fire TV, users are currently experiencing a problem of Amazon’s own making. The problem is pop-ups that take up the entire screen.
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As reported AFTVNewsFire TV users are being greeted by a full-screen ad as soon as they turn on their TV. The ad in question instructs the user to download Amazon’s newly redesigned Fire TV app. Since the ad takes up the entire screen, it’s necessary to dismiss the pop-up before accessing the rest of the experience.
Pop-ups aren’t necessarily new to Fire TV. However, they were generally used for system purposes, such as alerting you if a paired remote cannot be detected or if a software update is available. These types of pop-ups are understandable because they are informational and related to the operation of your device. But it appears that this is the first time that Amazon has turned the pop-up into an ad that is shown on startup itself.
Now, I’m no marketing genius, but sending ads to your users’ faces at startup doesn’t seem like the best way to convince them to download your app. It also sets a worrying precedent, because what’s stopping Amazon from using this new ad format more often? And when does Amazon decide to open it up to third-party advertisers?
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