Amazon could be ditching Android for the launch of itsnew OS for its smart home products, according to a new report.
Rumors have previously hinted thatAmazonis already developing a newoperating systemto replace Android-powered FireOS. The Amazon-developed VegaOS is reportedly being developed in-house and will likely be available onFire TVdevices first.
According to areport, Amazon is actively hiring resources to develop the new operating system, and a now-deleted job listing more or less confirms this. The new OS is claimed to run on “React Native” and would require new apps to be built from scratch.
While the listing doesn’t specifically mention the name VegaOS, it is evident by the listing that the new OS might be different from the existing OS.
At this point, we’re not sure about the timeline of this switch. However, it seems that Amazon hasalready transitionedits smart speaker –Echo Show 5, to the new OS. A peek at the device’s settings denotes an “OS 1.1” moniker, confirming that a new OS powers the device.
Should users be worried?
A software change is inevitable as evenGooglesilently moves its smart devices to the new Fuchsia OS. It allows Amazon to fork out new software from scratch and gradually shift its devices to an in-house platform.
However, we can expect that the end-user experience will not be impacted; there could be some teething issues, which include giving permissions to various apps and services – a one-time exercise.
Last but not least, the current Fire TV devices support sideloading of Android applications. This could be the most significant impact as the new OS might turn Amazon devices into a walled garden, limiting third-party app installation.
Jitendra Soni was a Tech Writer on Dexerto’s UK Team. An expert in tech, especially smartphones, he has almost 10 years of experience. He spearheaded the TechRadar India editorial operations and has written for TechRadar, TechRadar Pro, Free Press Journal, Mobile Scout, IB Times Singapore, Indulge Express, and more.
