Amazon Is Building Its Own TVs Now

Life’s about to get less good for LG

Amazon Fire TV 4 Series
Amazon

Amazon is just straight-up building its own TVs now — the first time the online retail giant has ever done that.

On the lower end, Amazon Fire TVs will start at $369.99. The better class of television, its Omni Series, begins at $409.99. Both of those price points are for 43″ smart TVs.

The new Fire TVs will be available in the U.S. next month at both Amazon.com and Best Buy.

Both the lower-tiered Amazon Fire TV 4-Series and upper echelon Fire TV Omni Series will deliver 4K Ultra HD picture. There are some more options north of those entry level price points, including Dolby compatibility. As you would expect, all of these new TVs are very Alexa compatible.

Other cool-sounding features include the ability to Zoom from your TV (after adding a webcam) and a picture-in-picture option to check out who just rung your Ring doorbell.

Here’s the full pricing list: The Fire TV Omni Series will be available in 43” ($409.99), 50” ($509.99), and 55” ($559.99). The Fire TV Omni Series with Dolby Vision will be available in 65” ($829.99), and 75” ($1,099.99). The Fire TV 4-Series will be available in 43” ($369.99), 50” ($469.99), and 55” ($519.99).

Below is a giant list of Alexa features on the Omni Series (many of which are also available on the entry level models).

  • “Alexa, what should I watch?”: Need a new source for great movie and TV recommendations? Alexa Conversations for Fire TV allows you to ask Alexa for a recommendation just like you would a friend or movie expert. Alexa offers tailored TV show and movie recommendations from your favorite streaming apps like Prime Video, allowing you to refine searches by genre, actors, award-winning movies, and more, all from the comfort of your couch. “Alexa, what should I watch?” will launch in beta this year.
  • “Alexa, Play Something” from Netflix: Exclusively available on Fire TV and debuting this Fall, Netflix is making it easier to find something to watch. Netflix members love the “Play Something” feature today, and soon you can simply say, “Alexa, Play Something on Netflix” from the Fire TV home screen and Netflix will launch a show or movie you might enjoy.
  • “Alexa, play TikTok”: Fire TV was the first to support TikTok videos on streaming media players in the UK, Germany and France, and soon, you’ll be able to access TikTok content in the U.S. and Canada. No more huddling around a cell phone to see the latest viral videofrom your Fire TV, you can view and discover TikTok feeds and use AutoPlay, which will serve a continuous content feed without interruptions. Just say, “Alexa, play TikTok” to get started.
  • Discover more with X-Ray on Prime Video: X-ray is an exclusive feature on Prime Video that helps you learn more about what (or who) you’re watching on Fire TV. While watching Cinderella, just ask Alexa for information in the moment, such as “Alexa, who is this actor?” to see details about the actors in that scene appear at the bottom of your screen. You can also get bios, filmographies, facts, trivia, character backstories, photo galleries, bonus video content, and more, so you don’t have to pick up your phone.

“We’ve reimagined what a TV can do by building it with two of our most popular experiences at the core—the intelligent always-available power of far-field Alexa, and Fire TV’s content-forward approach to entertainment,” Daniel Rausch, vice president of Amazon Entertainment’s devices and services, said on Thursday. “Our new Fire TV Omni Series smart TVs, with hands-free access to Alexa, make controlling your TV faster, simpler, and more natural.”

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