Fire TV

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Fire TV:

Get smart Fire TV sets from just $99.99 in early Prime Day deal

By

Amazon Fire TV set
Save up to $120!
Photo: Amazon

This year’s Amazon Prime Day kicks off on June 21, but as usual, Amazon is offering some deals well in advance. For a limited time only, Prime subscribers can bag smart Fire TV sets from as little as $99.99.

Get yours before they’re gone to save up to $120!

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Banish lockdown boredom with big savings on Fire TV devices

By

Fire TV Edition Smart TVs
Now with Apple TV support!
Photo: Amazon

Amazon is helping us all say entertained during COVID-19 lockdowns with generous savings on its own Fire TV devices. You can pick up a Fire TV Stick for as little as $29.99, and Fire Edition TV sets from just $139.99.

All Fire TV devices now support Apple TV+ — as well as a host of other streaming services, including Netflix and Disney+. These are limited-time savings, so enjoy them before they disappear.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Amazon is bringing Fire TV to autos

By

Fire TV Edition Smart TVs
Fire TV has all the popular services, including Apple TV+.
Photo: Amazon

CES 2020 Amazon is ramping up its expansion of the Fire TV platform in 2020 by making the streaming media platform available in automobiles and other third-party products.

The company revealed this morning that Fire TV now has over 40 million active users and its coming to even more devices. More than 150 Fire TV Edition devices across multiple product categories will be available by the end of 2020 and everyone from BMW to VOXX Automotive jumping onboard.

Apple TV app is now available on Amazon Fire TV devices

By

Apple TV app is now available on Amazon Fire TV devices
And just in time for Apple TV+, too!
Photo: Amazon

With just days to spare before the launch of Apple TV+, Apple has brought its TV app to Amazon streaming devices. This means that owners of the Fire TV Stick 4K, second-gen Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Basic Edition can watch shows from Apple’s streaming service and more.

Amazon has said support for other Fire TV devices will follow. That will include the likes of the Nebula sound bar, Fire TV Edition smart TVs, Fire TV Cube, and more.

Stream Apple Music on Amazon Fire TV starting today

By

Your Amazon Fire TV can stream Apple Music.
Your Amazon Fire TV can stream Apple Music, not just Game of Thrones.
Photo: Amazon

In what would have been radical change a few years ago, your Amazon Fire TV can now stream songs from the Apple Music service.

This is the latest move from the iPhone maker to allow users to access its services on hardware made by rival companies.

Facebook wants to add a camera to your TV

By

Facebook Portal
The Portal is Facebook’s first video calling product.
Photo: Facebook

Facebook is allegedly planning to take on Apple TV and Amazon’s Fire TV with a new set top box of its own.

The social network just debuted its new Portal smart speaker earlier this month and according to a new report its smart TV box could pack some similarly creepy features.

Roku continues to trounce Apple TV

By

apple tv and siri remote
Apple TV can't compete with Roku.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The gap between Apple TV and Roku continues to widen — only not in Apple’s favor.

According to the latest research data, Apple TV is getting absolutely dominated in the streaming set-top box race. As top rival Roku inches closer toward taking over half the market, Apple TV still struggles to crack into the top three streamers. And the future isn’t looking too bright.

Apple TV struggles to gain toehold in living rooms

By

apple tv and siri remote
Still not really catching on.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cupertino might not consider Apple TV a “hobby” any longer, but according to new data from comScore, the streaming device certainly is not viewed as a serious contender in the marketplace.

ComScore’s new figures show that — at the end of 2016 — Roku led the way for streaming TV boxes/sticks in the United States, with 18 percent penetration among Wi-Fi households. Amazon’s Fire TV followed on its heels with 12 percent, while Google’s Chromecast came third with 8 percent. Apple TV trailed in fourth place with just 5 percent.

New Apple TV loses to Roku in U.S.

By

apple tv and siri remote
The Apple TV had a surge of sales last year.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The fourth generation Apple TV experienced the largest increase in unit sales last year among streaming media players but it hasn’t been good enough to supplant Roku as the top streamer in the U.S. 

Apple TV’s biggest weakness appears to be its price point. New research shows that smaller stick streamers made up half of last year’s sales and Apple’s competition reaped the rewards.

Amazon beats Apple to 4K with Fire TV, Fire TV Gaming Edition

By

amazon-beats-apple-to-4k-with-new-fire-tv-and-fire-tv-gaming-edition-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201509Fire_TV_Gaming_Edition_highres-jpg
Fire TV Gaming Edition.
Photo: Amazon
Fire TV Gaming Edition. Photo: Amazon
Fire TV Gaming Edition. Photo: Amazon

Disappointed the new Apple TV doesn’t support 4K? Then get Amazon’s new Fire TV instead.

Two new versions of the device — Fire TV and Fire TV Gaming Edition — are here with updated internals that make them 75 percent faster than their predecessor, plus Alexa, Amazon’s own virtual assistant that is the brains behind the Echo speaker.

There’s also a new Fire TV Stick that promises the best Wi-Fi performance in a media-streaming dongle.

Chromecast and Roku are crushing Apple TV

By

The next version of Apple TV may allow you to take your viewing with you wherever you go. Photo: Apple
Apple TV is in desperate need of an update. Photo: Apple

It’s been over two and a half years since Apple TV was updated, and while Apple’s been happy resting on its laurels, its biggest competitors are passing it by.

Google’s Chromecast is now more popular than Apple TV, reports Parks Associates, which says streaming media players become more popular than ever in the first three quarters of 2014, as 10 percent of U.S. households bought at least one new streaming device.