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Amazon unveils faster Fire TV Stick 4K (2026) and a new Fire TV Remote
The stick runs Vega OS instead of Fire OS, but app support is rapidly improving. And you can get the stick for half price. The TV remote is compatible with older sticks.
Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick 4K can pull power directly from your TV
Will you be upgrading your streaming stick?
Alexa+ is making Fire TV smarter, from your TV to your phone
New software updates introduce smarter search that understands more complex questions, a dedicated Alexa+ hub, and an upgraded Fire TV mobile app.
Amazon Debuts Faster Fire TV Stick 4K With Sleeker Remote
Amazon.com Inc. announced a faster, slimmer Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device alongside a revamped remote control and upgrades to Alexa+ for the living room.
Amazon Simplifies Its Fire TV Streaming Device Lineup
The days of picking between Select, Plus and Max are over.
Amazon Unveils A Thinner And Faster Fire TV Stick 4K, Plus A New Remote
It will cost just $30 during the Prime Day deals event next week, and retail for $60 otherwise.
Leaked photos reveal an unreleased Fire TV Stick 4K and all-new remote
Image Source: WinFuture There have been a few signs of a new Fire TV Stick 4K being released soon, but nothing concrete until now. Several leaked photos of an unreleased Fire TV Stick 4K and a completely new remote have been acquired by German site WinFuture from independent retailer sources.
Amazon says Fire TV devices will be able to sideload Android apps again in upcoming update
Fire TV hardware will be able to sideload apps again with an upcoming Android software update for Amazon’s streaming hardware...
What Box Office Bomb Crushed Obsession on Streaming?
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get into this week’s issue, let me ask you for some suggestions. At the risk of coining too many names for too many things (hence my dictionary of terms...), I need a name for straight-to-streaming films that are too expensive to justify a straight-to-streaming release, but not big enough to justify a theatrical release. Like some of the films I highlighted in last week’s tally of the biggest film flops of 2026 so far: Hulu’s Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, Pizza Movie or Never Change! They don’t feel like “made for TV movies” (think Hallmark and Lifetime movies, cheap Netflix romcoms, or Disney Channel Original movies, for example) but they don’t feel big enough for the big screen. They’re not “cinematic” enough, so to speak. As I wrote... “I still need a name for this middle zone of film that’s too expensive to go straight-to-streaming but too small to justify a theatrical release (with all the PR, distribution, marketing and whatnot costs that go along with it), the Goldilocks zone of streaming film death.” Friend of the newsletter Brandon Katz has suggested the “Bermuda Budget Triangle”, “The Platform Gap” and “The Distribution Deadzone”. I love that first one. I’d offer up the much wordier “The Streaming Budget Dead Zone” or “the Goldilocks Zone of streaming film death” but that last one isn’t accurate since, unlike Goldilocks’ porridge, these films are the opposite of “just right”. That’s the problem! Anyway, if you have any suggestions, let me know! On to today’s Streaming Ratings Report. As you can tell by today’s headline, things are going to be spicy! I’m looking at a box office bomb that did really, really well on streaming, somewhat challenging a few different narratives. And another Netflix series declined in its second season. All that, plus Wicked: For Good switching streamers, The Hawk continuing its strong run, _The Bear’_s finale season finally dropping off the charts, the WNBA posting a big viewership number, “shallow libraries”, a sitcom spinoff failing to launch, more big budget IP flopping on Paramount+, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of July 20th to July 26th, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - The Latest Theatrical Success Story on Streaming In the latest edition of “Flops, Bombs and Misses of the First Half of 2026”, I made a crucial change: I started including theatrical films with the streaming misses. The streamers have collectively—including Netflix, but not to as big of an extent—stopped making a lot of straight-to-streaming films, and the ones they do make aren’t as expensive as in the heyday of the streaming bubble. After the following two films bombed in theaters, you’d guess that they’ll be included in my next collection of flops, bombs and misses six months from now: Masters of the Universe on Prime Video (only $64 million domestic box office) Mortal Kombat II on HBO Max ($79 million domestic) But you’d be wrong! Masters of the Universe, a reboot of the He-Man franchise, a toy from the 1980s, came to streaming on 22-July and did great! This long-gestating project—it’s been at every studio for years, and came close to getting a greenlight at Netflix—then finally came to theaters in June, and showed up on streaming less than two months later. (I don’t love this short theatrical window.) It surprisingly grabbed nearly 20 million hours on its debut: That means, wait for it, Masters of the Universe is currently the eighth biggest film on streaming through two weeks. My rough bar for “hit” is shows or films in the top 15%. Ergo…Masters of the Universe is a legit, streaming hit! (One quick caveat: if it falls out of the top ten next week, it will move to 13th overall, just on the edge of the top 15.) Of course, that’s the data for just 2026. Here’s how it stacks up to Prime Video’s theatrical films: That drop into its second week is typical for Amazon films, but also a worrying sign. I have a feeling interest in this film is front-loaded and we’ll see it drop off after this. As for Mortal Kombat II, in this case, the viewership numbers roughly match the theatrical outing, with only 4.1 million hours in its first week. Here’s how it stacks up to other HBO Max films: The best defense of this number is that, as a relatively violent rated-R film, Mortal Kombat II never had a good chance at breaking out. So now it’s time for a little big of “Entertainment Nuance Guy”: First, yeah, my headline is obviously facetious, since Masters of the Universe besting Obsession says more about horror as a genre than it does that film. Second, I read and listened to quite a few “nobody wanted this IP” takes about Masters of the Universe, and that’s not really true. At least enough people wanted it to power a 20 million+ hour debut! Third, both this film and Mortal Kombat II were considered “average” by viewers, but not great films, with a 6.4 and 6.3 respectively on IMDb. That’s just shy of the level needed to be a word-of-mouth hit. Fourth, in the olden days, strong word of mouth could transform a box office miss into a cable/DVD hit, like Austin Powers or The Shawshank Redemption. We haven’t seen a lot of examples of that on streaming, though. And there are far fewer ways to monetize the post-theatrical life of a film these days. Fifth, Prime Video has shown an ability to push their own titles well, likely because they control the Amazon Fire TV ecosystem. Add it all up, and here’s my nuanced take on Masters of the Universe: it was a box office bomb, but, shockingly, a streaming hit. Unfortunately, while being a theatrical hit saves your film financially, being a streaming hit does not. Both Masters of the Universe and Mortal Kombat II had big budgets and needed to make more money in theaters to justify them. So…Straight-to-Streaming or Theaters? We’ve hit a really fun point in the streaming calendar, since the films that came out in theaters in April, May, and June are now arriving on streaming. So the “Do theatrical releases help streaming performances?” question is gonna get a fresh round of updates nearly every week. No single week will answer the question, but we may get some insights. For example, so far in 2026, it looks like theatrical films are lasting longer on the weekly Nielsen film charts. Here’s a list of films that have made the charts in their fourth or fifth week of release, separated by “for kids” and “general entertainment”: It certainly seems like theatrical films are lasting just a pinch longer on the charts, with Project Hail Mary being the current five-week champion. One Battle After Another did well for HBO Max too, and even The Sheep Detectives made it four weeks. The only exception to this trend? Obsession, which only lasted two weeks on the charts. You might tempted to overreact to this news. Don’t. Obsession is a huge horror hit, but horror just doesn’t do as well on streaming. By the way, here’s the Google Trends for various theatrical and stremaing films: Plus, when it comes to Netflix in four months, Obsession may have another big boost. Quick Notes on Film Note that when I write, “the streamers have pulled back on straight-to-streaming films” that doesn’t mean “abandoned” because Netflix is gonna Netflix. On 24-July, they released 72 Hours, a Kevin Hart comedy. Along with Eddie Murphy, Mark Wahlberg, John Cena and Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart is a streaming film star now. Did this latest one work? Not really. It only garnered two weeks of 13.2 and 12.2 million hours on its debut, well below the 20-million-hour hit threshold. It also was poorly received critically—a 44 on Metacritic—and by customers—a 5.4 on IMDb on 21K IMDb reviews. We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… The latest Netflix true crime doc to pop on the charts… How The Bear finished its run… Netflix’s latest Western to return to streaming… What Paramount+ animated film flopped… And what sitcom also missed… All the flops, bombs and misses… And a whole lot more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! I’m behind by a week, so we’ve got two issues coming your way this week, including one in a couple of days or so, then we’ll be all caught up**.** Next issue, inspired by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie coming to Peacock, I’m going to take a look at the workhouse of streaming TV: kids films. Plus The Devil Wears Prada 2 continues theatrical films’ big run on streaming. All that, plus another surprise hit on Hulu, Lioness on CBS, and a whole lot more. Long term, LeBron James is filming his own “Last Dance”-style docu-series, surprising no one. But as I’ve been writing about a lot this summer, this genre is really overrated, so whoever ends up buying it (reportedly ESPN) really shouldn’t pay too much for it.
Amazon makes Alexa+ free on compatible Fire TVs
Amazon's Alexa+ rolls out free to Fire TV devices across the U.S., but hands-free microphones and stored voice data raise key privacy questions.
Amazon Hikes Prices by as Much as 60% Across Echo, Fire TV, Kindle Lines
The price hikes were as high as 60% in case of the worst hit product, the Echo Dot, which will now set you back.
Amazon just hiked the prices for Echo, Fire TV, and Kindle products by up to 60 percent
RAMaggedon strikes again
Amazon makes its AI-powered Alexa+ free on Fire TV, no Prime required
Amazon is making its AI-powered Alexa+ assistant free on all compatible Fire TV devices in the U.S., automatically upgrading users whether or not they subscribe to Prime.
Apple TV vs. Fire TV vs. Google TV vs. Roku: Every Major Smart TV Platform Compared
Most TVs are smart, but what does that mean? I examine the smart TV software platforms in use today to help you determine which one offers the content and features you want.
Google TV is reportedly the #3 streaming OS in the US
According to new data, Google TV is apparently the #3 streaming platform in the US market, barely behind Fire TV.
Amazon’s Fire TV Stick HD Is on Sale for $20 For a Limited Time
This upgraded version is slimmer and faster than previous versions.
Xbox expands leadership team with major hires
Xbox has added two big names to its leadership team: Matthew Ball and Scott Van Vliet. The new recruits are part of an on-going drive from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma to move faster, build better products, and make more focused business decisions. The Game Business can reveal that Ball is joining as Chief Strategy Officer. He is a popular industry analyst who is responsible for the annual The State of Video Gaming report, which is widely read across the business. His first job will be to strengthen the console side of Xbox, which is facing significant pressures, not least from the rising costs of memory and storage. In an interview with The Game Business earlier in the year, he admitted he was “pretty frightened” by the situation for the console sector. Ball had previously worked as head of strategy and planning for Amazon Studios, and wrote the 2022 international best-seller The Metaverse. He is currently CEO of Epyllion, a venture partner at investment group Makers Fund and senior advisor at KKR & Co. Meanwhile, Scott Van Vliet joins as Chief Technology Officer. He was previously in charge of Azure OpenAI and AI Core infrastructure at Microsoft, and he also led engineering for Microsoft Teams during the COVID 19 pandemic. But he has a games background. He previously worked across games for Amazon, including Alexa, Amazon Game Studios and the Amazon App Store. He directly worked on the Minecraft: Fire TV Edition. Prior to that, he was VP of Digital Play at Mattel, and worked across brands such as Batman, Barbie, Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and Cut The Rope. His job will be to improve how Xbox builds products so teams can move faster and deliver stronger results. For more breaking stories, sign-up to The Game Business today Subscribe In addition to these new hires, Xbox has promoted Chris Schnakenberg to Corporate Vice President, Partnerships & Business Development. He was previously VP of partnerships and business development, and joined from Activision Blizzard, where he spent 12 years in various strategy, business development and partner relations role. His focus is on third-party games, publishers and developers working with Xbox. The news follows a number of new hires and promotions earlier in the month, including Jason Ronald taking leadership over Xbox’s upcoming Project Helix console. “These changes are about strengthening our foundation by creating more clarity and improving execution,” Sharma said in an email to staff. “As we head toward Showcase and beyond, we’ll continue making the changes needed to position XBOX for the future.” Matthew Ball is speaking with Christopher Dring at The Game Business Live on Monday, June 8. More details on the event can be found here.
Xbox expands leadership team with major hires
Xbox has added two big names to its leadership team: Matthew Ball and Scott Van Vliet. The new recruits are part of an on-going drive from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma to move faster, build better products, and make more focused business decisions. The Game Business can reveal that Ball is joining as Chief Strategy Officer. He is a popular industry analyst who is responsible for the annual The State of Video Gaming report, which is widely read across the business. His first job will be to strengthen the console side of Xbox, which is facing significant pressures, not least from the rising costs of memory and storage. In an interview with The Game Business earlier in the year, he admitted he was “pretty frightened” by the situation for the console sector. Ball had previously worked as head of strategy and planning for Amazon Studios, and wrote the 2022 international best-seller The Metaverse. He is currently CEO of Epyllion, a venture partner at investment group Makers Fund and senior advisor at KKR & Co. Meanwhile, Scott Van Vliet joins as Chief Technology Officer. He was previously in charge of Azure OpenAI and AI Core infrastructure at Microsoft, and he also led engineering for Microsoft Teams during the COVID 19 pandemic. But he has a games background. He previously worked across games for Amazon, including Alexa, Amazon Game Studios and the Amazon App Store. He directly worked on the Minecraft: Fire TV Edition. Prior to that, he was VP of Digital Play at Mattel, and worked across brands such as Batman, Barbie, Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and Cut The Rope. His job will be to improve how Xbox builds products so teams can move faster and deliver stronger results. For more breaking stories, sign-up to The Game Business today Subscribe In addition to these new hires, Xbox has promoted Chris Schnakenberg to Corporate Vice President, Partnerships & Business Development. He was previously VP of partnerships and business development, and joined from Activision Blizzard, where he spent 12 years in various strategy, business development and partner relations role. His focus is on third-party games, publishers and developers working with Xbox. The news follows a number of new hires and promotions earlier in the month, including Jason Ronald taking leadership over Xbox’s upcoming Project Helix console. “These changes are about strengthening our foundation by creating more clarity and improving execution,” Sharma said in an email to staff. “As we head toward Showcase and beyond, we’ll continue making the changes needed to position XBOX for the future.” Matthew Ball is speaking with Christopher Dring at The Game Business Live on Monday, June 8. More details on the event can be found here.
Not Apple TV, Not Fire TV Stick: This Streaming Device Gets Consumer Reports' Top Rating
When it comes to top streaming devices, many might point to the Apple TV or the Amazon Fire TV Stick, but according to Consumer Reports, another device wins.
The new Fire TV OS is for Amazon, not you
Amazon's new Fire TV Stick HD has a different operating system than before. Here's what you need to know.
Oprah Winfrey strikes multiyear podcast, content deal with Amazon
Beginning this summer, Winfrey will produce twice-weekly video podcast episodes that will stream across Amazon platforms including Prime Video, Amazon Music, Audible and Fire TV Channels.
Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick HD signals the end of sideloading
Amazon is weirdly warning only some customers that they will not be able to sideload apps on the new Fire TV Stick HD.
Amazon will ditch Android on ‘all’ future Fire TV Sticks as latest model runs Vega OS
Amazon this week launched its newest Fire TV Stick and, along with it, its second device powered by Vega OS....
Amazon will reportedly never release another new Android-based Fire TV Stick — It’s Vega OS only from this point on
With this week's disappointing release of the new Fire TV Stick HD, Amazon's second streaming device to run its Vega operating system, the future of Android-based Fire TVs is looking bleak.
Amazon's budget-friendly answer to the Frame TV will start shipping on April 22
The Fire TVs can double as artwork in your home and come with more than 2,000 pieces of art for free.
Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick HD is its ‘slimmest ever’
Amazon just gave its most affordable streaming stick an upgrade.
Amazon's new Fire TV Stick HD is slimmer than ever and has no power adapter
The $35 streaming dongle is available for pre-order today.
Amazon launches its slimmest ever streaming device, the Fire TV Stick HD
The more portable HD streaming stick will be available in more than a dozen countries, starting at $34.99 in the U.S.
The Hallmark Channel is Shutting Down Its TV App Tomorrow on Roku, Fire TV, Google TV, & More
Hallmark Media will shut down its dedicated TV Everywhere app across major streaming platforms, including Roku, Google TV, Fire TV, and compatible smart televisions, on March 31, 2026. The move ends a long-standing option that let cable and satellite subscribers authenticate with their provider credentials to access live channels and on-demand programming directly through the […]
Amazon is practically giving away smart home devices — 31 deals from Blink, Fire TV, Echo and more
Grab these best-selling devices starting at $17
Amazon is rolling out a redesigned Fire TV app
With the updated Fire TV app, users can browse and discover content directly from their phone, manage their watchlist on the go, and play titles on their TV from the mobile app.
This Cheap Gadget Turns Any Car's Infotainment Center Into A Smart TV
With the Carlinkit FireDrive Link Pro and an Amazon Fire TV Stick, you can turn your car’s infotainment screen into a smart TV for streaming and cloud gaming.
This Fire TV stick setting causes lag — here's how to turn it off
I fixed my Fire TV stick's lag by changing one simple setting
Amazon’s Google TV makeover for Fire TV is now rolling out in the US
After announcing it earlier this year, Amazon Fire TV is now rolling out a homescreen redesign that feels inspired by Google TV.
Amazon Fire TV's new interface is now rolling out in the U.S.
Fire TV's new interface simplifies its layout and navigation and adds Alexa+.
Amazon's Fire TV redesign is rolling out today
US viewers will have access to Amazon's new Fire TV UI starting today.
Why There's Simply No Need For An Amazon Fire TV Stick Anymore
The Amazon Fire TV Stick is no longer essential because there are cheaper competitors and most smart TVs today include the same range of apps in their OS.
This 'perfect' Amazon Fire TV is on sale for under $200 right now — plus 5 more can't-miss TV deals
You don't need to spend a fortune to upgrade your TV.
Nvidia’s GeForce Now is getting native Linux and Fire TV apps
GeForce Now is also getting flight controls support
Amazon revamps Fire TV, launches its own 'Artline' televisions with frames at CES
Fire TV's new interface focuses on your content and offers easier, speedier navigation, Amazon says.
Amazon’s new Fire TV user interface gets you to what you want to watch—even faster
The redesigned Fire TV experience debuts alongside our first-ever lifestyle TV, the Amazon Ember Artline, and a transformed Fire TV mobile app.
5 Cool Things You Didn't Know Your Amazon Fire TV Stick Could Do
If you've been using the Amazon Fire TV Stick just for entertainment, you might be missing out on features like secret shortcuts and Bluetooth connectivity.
Older Amazon Fire TV Stick Users Are Saving Money On Upgrades With This Offer
Amazon has started a trade-in program for older models of their products, so you can save 20% or more on the much better and new Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
Amazon Fire TV's new AI feature lets you jump to scenes by describing them to Alexa+
Amazon says you can describe the scene to Alexa by mentioning details like the actor or character's name, or a memorable quote.
Big Screen, Small Price: Save Hundreds With Cyber Monday TV Deals on Hisense, LG, Samsung, and Sony
Cyber Monday TV deals are here with some of the year's lowest prices! Get $1,398 off the 85-inch Samsung Neo QLED 4K QN80F, or score a 32-inch 1080p Amazon Fire TV for only $99.