Like many other manufacturers, Amazon uses AOSP, the open source version of Android, as the basis for its Fire OS. It's more than just an overlay: more precisely, it's a fork, a heavily reworked derivative of AOSP that doesn't integrate Google services like the Play Store (even though it's relatively easy to install the store).
Vega OS not so secret
Fire OS, which is notably used in Fire tablets and Fire TV streaming devices, could well change engines very soon. Janko Roettgers of the site Lowpass reveals that Amazon is developing a complete operating system under Linux called Vega OS — and the company is preparing to present a first streaming device equipped with this OS. The launch was more or less scheduled for the end of last year, but it has reportedly been postponed to 2025.
Amazon has prepared The field: the Echo Show 5 and Echo Hub smart displays, as well as the Echo Spot alarm clock, already work with Vega OS. Ultimately, the ambition is to completely replace AOSP and Fire OS. This change would allow the company to no longer depend on Android in any way, nor to be subject to the constraints of AOSP. In short, Amazon is seeking to completely control its software ecosystem.
In the meantime, the transition period is a bit complicated, as the e-commerce giant continues to launch devices running Fire OS. But recruitment for Vega OS is going well, and the company isn't starting from scratch: the Kindle OS is a proprietary system based on Linux.
At the same time, Amazon is reportedly working hard to attract major streaming platforms: an SDK, called "Kepler," is being developed to make developers' work easier, with the understanding that Android apps for Fire OS aren't compatible with Vega OS.
Behind the scenes, Amazon is holding meetings with publishers to convince them to port their apps to the new OS. This is a long-term but essential undertaking, because to win its bet, the company absolutely must ensure Vega OS's compatibility with the major streaming platforms. Paramount, Rakuten, and UKTV (a BBC subsidiary) have reportedly already signed; others are reportedly content with their less well-integrated web apps.
Source: Lowpass
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