Amazon expands smart TV, soundbar systems
After starting Fire TV Edition smart TVs with Best Buy, Amazon announced plans to expand internationally, bringing the devices to the UK, Germany, Austria, Ireland and India. Last year, over 50 Fire TV Edition smart TVs and soundbars have launched from global brands like Grundig, JVC, Onida and Anker and retailers like Best Buy, Currys PC World and MediaMarktSaturn (coming 2020).
Amazon will continue its international expansion with more brands launching Fire TV Edition smart TVs this year in the US, Canada, India, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and Mexico.
Amazon and Anker Innovations announced the Nebula Soundbar–Fire TV Edition late last year, the first Fire TV Edition soundbar featuring an all-in-one home cinema experience with expansive video streaming and sharp sound. The TCL Alto 8+ Soundbar–Fire TV Edition is now available on Amazon in the US and Canada. Customers of Amazon in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain can also sign up to get notified when the TCL TS8011 Soundbar–Fire TV Edition becomes available. Both soundbars are designed to support premium acoustic performance, with carefully tuned speaker drivers and support for Dolby Digital Plus producing clear, dynamic and immersive sound.
Amazon said it is working with a growing number of device manufacturers including Anker, Polk Audio and Tonly on more soundbar services. The company hopes to later this year provide further features such as Dolby Atmos support, compatible device control, HDMI switching and far-field voice control, along with partner customisations.
Fire TV Edition for cars
Amazon wants to also expand its Fire TV Edition smart TVs and soundbars to automakers and has partnered with BMW and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). The service provides hands-free access to Alexa, a touch screen interface and offline playback capabilities in the car, plus video content and shows recorded with Fire TV Recast or saved locally on-device. Content can be streamed using a vehicle’s Wi-Fi or LTE connection, a mobile hotspot or any other WAN-enabled device.
Fire TV Edition for operators
Amazon will in addition expand its Fire TV Edition devices to operators. After successfully introducing Fire TV partnerships with Tata Sky in India and Verizon in the US, Fire TV is now letting operators choose the best service for their needs and providing merchandising opportunities in the Fire TV Edition customer experience. The Fire TV Edition for Operators is available now in North America, Europe, India and Japan.
Fire TV Edition for certified solutions providers
Amazon is working with a growing number of TV manufacturers who produce Fire TV Edition smart TVs. Vestel, Arcelik, Compal, TPV and others can now build Fire TV Edition smart TVs for their customers, with worldwide manufacturing and assembly capabilities.
Skyworth is the latest global ODM with turnkey services for smart TVs. These services will let Skyworth and other ODMs work with leading TV brands to bring high-quality, differentiated, cost-effective 4K and FHD smart TVs to customers. Starting in India, brands can choose from a selection of manufacturers with various industrial design and price options to bring an entire lineup of smart TVs to customers.
The turnkey ODM service provided with Amazon includes out-of-the-box reference designs, schematics and boards designed with CVTE, a leading LCD TV mainboard provider for 4K and FHD smart TVs; self-service tools and software customizations, such as settings SDK for custom picture and audio settings; and customised industrial design and hardware options.
For auto partners, Amazon is working with leading system integrators VOXX Automotive and Garmin to deliver systems and services that can significantly accelerate the development cycle for automakers. For operators, Amazon said it is working with the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) so that its members can deliver low cost Fire TV streaming media players directly to their customers. NCTC has over 750 members, including independent cable and telecom operators, delivering service to 16 million broadband and 8 million video customers in total.
