Craig is a reporter for Pocket-lint based in Toronto. He earned a diploma in journalism from Seneca Polytechnic and holds a Media Foundations certificate from Humber College. Craig previously interned and wrote for MobileSyrup, a Canadian tech publication. He enjoys reading and writing about consumer technology, especially phones, tablets, and PCs.
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Amazon has been on a mission lately to completely transform its Fire TV Stick lineup, and it all began last year when the company unveiled its new Linux-based operating system, Vega OS.
For more than a decade, Amazon's Fire TV Sticks have run Fire OS, an Android-based operating system that lets users download Android apps, install custom launchers, and sideload apps. While these features helped make Fire TV Sticks popular in the first place, Vega OS doesn't support any of them because it's Linux-based. Amazon says the move is about "enhanced security," while touting Vega OS's greater efficiency and improved performance.
So far, Amazon has released three Fire TV Sticks running Vega OS. First came the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, an entry-level 4K streaming stick launched last year. In April, Amazon released a new version of the Fire TV Stick HD, its entry-level 1080p streaming stick. More recently, in September, Amazon introduced the new Fire TV Stick 4K, replacing both the Fire TV Stick 4K Select and the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus in its lineup.
With Vega OS becoming increasingly dominant across Amazon's Fire TV Stick lineup, and the company confirming that all future models will run the new operating system, one big question is how much longer Amazon will support its older Android-based Fire TV Sticks. Fortunately, despite its big push toward Vega OS, Amazon won't update older Fire TV Sticks running Fire OS to the new operating system, meaning they'll remain on Android. And while many of these older streaming sticks do have an expiration date for software support, Amazon has surprisingly given them quite a long runway before that day arrives.
How long will Amazon support your Android Fire TV Stick?
It likely still has plenty of life left
When Amazon first announced Vega OS, it also declared that it was now a "multi-OS company" and would support both Vega OS and Fire OS simultaneously. So far, it's lived up to that promise, releasing updates, including its redesigned Fire TV experience, on both platforms. But with Amazon confirming that all future Fire TV Sticks will run Vega OS, meaning the end of Android-based Fire TV Sticks is approaching, I think it's fair to wonder how much longer these older devices will receive software support.
Surprisingly, the answer is still several years. For most of Amazon's recent Android-based Fire TV Sticks, including the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus and Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen), the company has committed to providing software security updates until December 31, 2030. In other words, Amazon still plans to support many of its older Android Fire TV Sticks for another three and a half years.
Amazon lists its planned support end dates for all Fire TV Sticks on its customer support page for "Amazon Fire TV Software Security Updates." Oddly, even the new Vega OS-powered Fire TV Stick HD and Fire TV Stick 4K (3rd Gen) have the same support end date as some of Amazon's older Android-based models, despite being brand-new. Both are also slated to receive software security updates up until December 31, 2030.
There's only one Android Fire TV Stick that Amazon still supports with a software update cutoff date before 2030: the 1st-generation Fire TV Stick 4K, released in 2018, which will receive updates until December 31, 2029.
Here's a list of all the Fire TV Sticks Amazon still supports and plans to continue supporting until December 31, 2030:
- Fire TV Stick 4K Select
- Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Generation)
- Fire TV Stick 4K (3rd 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)
- Fire TV Stick 4K (1st Generation)
Quiz
8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge
Fire TV Stick history
Trivia challenge
From its 2014 debut to 4K streaming dominance — how well do you really know Amazon's Fire TV Stick?
HistoryHardwareStreamingFeaturesAmazon
01 / 8
History
In what year did Amazon first release the original Fire TV Stick?
Correct! Amazon launched the original Fire TV Stick in November 2014, initially as an invitation-only product before making it widely available. It was designed as a budget-friendly alternative to the full Fire TV box released earlier that same year.
Not quite. Amazon launched the Fire TV Stick in November 2014, following the debut of the larger Fire TV set-top box earlier that year. It quickly became one of the best-selling streaming devices on the market.
02 / 8
Hardware
Which port does the Fire TV Stick plug into on your television?
Correct! The Fire TV Stick connects directly into an HDMI port on your TV, making it incredibly simple to set up. A separate USB cable is also included to provide power to the device.
Not quite. The Fire TV Stick uses an HDMI connection to plug directly into your television. This design keeps the device compact and ensures compatibility with virtually any modern TV.
03 / 8
Streaming
Which Fire TV Stick model was the first to support 4K Ultra HD streaming?
Correct! The Fire TV Stick 4K, released in October 2018, was the first stick-form-factor Fire TV device to support 4K Ultra HD, HDR10, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos. It was a significant upgrade over the standard stick lineup.
Not quite. The Fire TV Stick 4K, launched in 2018, was the first in the stick lineup to offer 4K Ultra HD support along with HDR10, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos audio. Earlier stick models were capped at 1080p Full HD.
04 / 8
Features
What is the name of Amazon's voice assistant built into the Fire TV Stick remote?
Correct! Amazon's own voice assistant, Alexa, is integrated into the Fire TV Stick remote, allowing users to search for content, control smart home devices, check the weather, and more using just their voice.
Not quite. Amazon built its own voice assistant, Alexa, into the Fire TV Stick remote. Alexa lets you search for content hands-free, control compatible smart home devices, and access a wide range of skills beyond just streaming.
05 / 8
Amazon
What is the name of Amazon's own free streaming service that comes pre-installed on Fire TV Sticks?
Correct! Amazon Freevee (previously known as IMDb TV) is Amazon's free, ad-supported streaming service that comes pre-loaded on Fire TV devices. It offers a wide library of movies and TV shows at no subscription cost.
Not quite. Amazon Freevee, formerly called IMDb TV, is Amazon's free ad-supported streaming service that comes built into Fire TV Sticks. While Prime Video requires a subscription, Freevee is completely free to watch with ads.
06 / 8
Hardware
Which budget-focused Fire TV Stick model was introduced in 2020, featuring a simplified remote without TV controls?
Correct! The Fire TV Stick Lite launched in 2020 as Amazon's most affordable streaming stick. Its remote omits the dedicated TV power and volume buttons found on standard Fire TV remotes, keeping costs down for budget-conscious buyers.
Not quite. Amazon introduced the Fire TV Stick Lite in 2020 as its entry-level streaming stick. The Lite version's remote drops the TV control buttons to reduce the price, making it an attractive option for first-time streamers.
07 / 8
History
Before being rebranded, what was the original name of the Fire TV Stick's operating system?
Correct! The Fire TV Stick runs Fire OS, Amazon's own operating system that is based on Android but heavily customised with Amazon's own apps, services, and interface. It has been the backbone of all Fire TV devices since launch.
Not quite. Fire TV Sticks have always run Fire OS, Amazon's forked version of Android that replaces Google's services with Amazon's own ecosystem. Despite its Android roots, Fire OS looks and behaves quite differently from standard Android TV.
08 / 8
Features
Which connectivity standard did the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st Gen, 2021) introduce to the Fire TV Stick lineup for the first time?
Correct! The Fire TV Stick 4K Max launched in 2021 as the first Fire TV Stick to support Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), offering faster and more reliable wireless connectivity compared to previous models. It also featured a more powerful processor than the standard 4K stick.
Not quite. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max, released in 2021, made history as the first Fire TV Stick to include Wi-Fi 6 support. This newer wireless standard delivers improved speeds and better performance in homes with many connected devices.
Challenge Complete
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How to check which Fire TV Stick you have
If you're not quite sure which Fire TV Stick model you have and want to know whether it'll be supported until December 31, 2030, there's an easy way to check in your device's settings menu. Here's how:
1. Open the Settings menu on your Fire TV Stick. You can do this by long-pressing the Settings button (the gear icon) on your remote.
2. Navigate to My Fire TV > About.
3. Select Fire TV.
4. On the right side of your screen, you'll see information about your device, including its Device Name, Device Type, and Storage Capacity.
5. Check the Device Type to find out which Fire TV Stick model you have. For instance, mine says Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd generation).
Once you've identified your Fire TV Stick model, you can check when its software support ends. If it matches any of the models listed above, it'll continue to receive updates until December 31, 2030, except for the first-generation Fire TV Stick 4K, which is supported until December 31, 2029.
I use a Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) daily on my 4K LG TV, and I have to admit, I'm surprised Amazon plans to support it through the end of 2030, given that it launched in 2023. That means it'll get at least seven years of software updates, which isn't bad at all. And since Amazon has said it won't release any more Android-based Fire TV Sticks, with all future models running Vega OS instead, I want to hold onto my 4K Max for as long as possible. With support lasting until 2030, I can definitely see myself sticking with it for years to come.
Frankly, what surprised me most is that the new Vega OS-powered Fire TV Stick HD and Fire TV Stick 4K, both released this year, share the same software support end date of December 31, 2030, even though they're much newer. That means they'll get just over four years of support, instead of the seven years the 4K Max and many other Android models will receive.
All in all, if you're hanging onto your Android Fire TV Stick like I am, the good news is that it will continue to receive software updates for years to come, so you can avoid switching to Vega OS for a long time if that's your goal.