TL;DR
- The new Fire TV Stick HD is the second Amazon streaming stick to launch with Vega OS.
- Some customers looking to purchase the device are being warned that they won’t be able to sideload apps.
- Amazon has also announced that it will continue to support most Fire TV streaming sticks and cubes through 2030.
A few days ago, Amazon announced the new Fire TV Stick HD. This will be the company’s second streaming stick with Amazon’s new Linux-based operating system, Vega OS. As the device drops Fire OS, the forked version of Android, there are some concerns about app support and sideloading. It appears that the company is trying to get ahead of the matter by issuing a warning to customers. Amazon is also expanding support for a wider range of Fire TV products.
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The new Fire TV Stick is available for HD pre order Now on Amazon. If you visit the store page, chances are you can see the alert box in the image below (via). cord cutter news). The warning reads, “For increased security, this device prevents sideloading or installing apps from unknown sources. Only apps from the Amazon Appstore are available for download.”
This warning appears to confirm fears that Vega OS devices will not allow sideloading. While sideloading has never been officially supported on the Fire TV Stick, it is something that is commonly done on Amazon devices. However, what is strange is that the warning is only visible for some buyers. When I went to the page there was no alert box.
In related news, Amazon announced that it is extending software support for its current lineup of Fire TV devices. The company promised that a wide range of its hardware will continue to receive compatibility and security support until December 31, 2030. It includes the following devices:
- Fire TV Stick 4K Select
- Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd generation)
- Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd generation)
- Fire TV Stick HD (2nd generation)
- Fire TV Stick HD (1st generation)
- fire tv stick lite
- Fire TV Stick (3rd generation)
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st generation)
- Fire TV Cube (3rd generation)
The only exception to this promise is the original Fire TV Stick 4K. This device will continue to be supported till December 31, 2029.
Amazon’s announcement of support is welcome, especially considering that the e-commerce giant recently began notifying customers that it would End Support for Older Kindles. Via email, Amazon warned that it will begin cutting support for older Kindles on May 20, 2026. Affected models include the first and second generation Kindle, Kindle DX and DX Graphite, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle 4, Kindle Touch, Kindle 5, and the first generation Kindle Paperwhite.
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