Ever since the 3rd-gen Alexa Voice Remote was introduced, which gains a guide button and 4 app shortcut buttons compared to the older remote, it began being bundled with more and more Fire TV models. The 3rd-gen Fire TV Stick was the first bundle to receive it and the new remote was bundled with the Fire TV Stick 4K when that model was finally released in Australia, Brazil, and Mexico. Similarly, when the Fire TV Cube was released a month later in India for the first time, it too included the new remote. More recently, Amazon swapped the new remote into Fire TV Stick 4K bundles in many countries and, of course, the new Fire TV Stick 4K Max includes it. Now, the last Fire TV model with the old remote is losing it as well, as the Fire TV Cube has now been bundled with the new remote in most countries.
Amazon has introduced new Fire TV Cube bundles this week in many regions that include the newer 3rd-gen Alexa Voice Remote, instead of the older 2nd-gen remote. These new bundles include the exact same Fire TV Cube that was first released in 2019, but come with the new remote. The new Fire TV Cube bundles are already available to order in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. As already mentioned, the Fire TV Cube in India already had the new remote bundled. Pricing of the new bundles with the newer remote is exactly the same as the Fire TV Cube prices with the older remote.
Amazon is not yet selling the Fire TV Cube in the US, Canada, or Japan with the newer remote. It’s likely just a matter of time before the new remote is bundled in those countries as well because Twitter user @_snoopytech_, who has a knack for finding images of unreleased devices, has posted images of the Fire TV Cube with the US varient of the new remote, so that bundle will probably be released in the US soon. The US varient of the 3rd-gen Alexa Voice Remote is the only one with Disney+ and Hulu as the bottom two app shortcut buttons.
Amazon will likely continue to sell both the Fire TV Cube and Fire TV Stick 4K with the older remote for a little while as it depletes its supply of the older bundles. The 3rd-gen Fire TV Stick was available for purchase on Amazon with the older remote for about a month after the new bundle was introduced. More recently, the bundle with the older remote was made available on Amazon-owned Woot.com for a discount, so we may see the same thing happen to the Fire TV Cube and Fire TV Stick 4K bundles that include the older remote.
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So the obvious question is this: can I go to Amazon.com right now and purchase the Gen 3 Alexa remote as a standalone device?
Yes. That has been possible ever since it was first announced. Both the 3rd-gen remote (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08D6WJYD9/?tag=aftvn-20) and the 2nd-gen remote (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B6L2QCF/?tag=aftvn-20) can be purchased standalone for $29.99.
Better yet just buy the 3rd Gen FireTV stick which comes with the new remote for $24. Pair the remote with your cube.
https://www.amazon.com/fire-tv-stick-with-3rd-gen-alexa-voice-remote/dp/B08C1W5N87/ref=p13n_ds_purchase_sim_1p_dp_desktop_5/131-0869216-3228429?pd_rd_w=6K7JO&pf_rd_p=a1e2cc28-dc94-4535-bc22-27c603bb8fa2&pf_rd_r=NK53CDD2V1WNH6A5WPVE&pd_rd_r=78154e63-e493-4c0e-a0ff-3ec0b74b53fd&pd_rd_wg=JeWYf&pd_rd_i=B08C1W5N87&psc=1
I tried this. It doesnt work with cube yet.
Yes but it wont work with Fire tv cube. I ordered the remote and fire stick bundle just for the remote at $15. The remote will work with every device I have but my 2 cubes. It is a huge issue if you look at the amazon forums then go to the remote section.
Looks like those app buttons on the remote obstruct the ease of using the vol button.
I have not had any issues on my 4K Max. Also, the mute button now has a little dimple in it that really help identify it without having to look down.
The 4K Max remote works with the cube. FYI
Hmmmm…I purchased three Gen 2 Fire TV Cubes last year during Prime Day directly from Amazon and none of my remotes look like the one pictured on the left. Did Amazon stiff me with older version remotes from leftover stock? I’m still quite happy with my purchase, thanks to Prime Day deals, coupon codes and trade-in’s my total cost including tax/shipping was $200. That’s less than $67 per unit!
Are you saying that the remotes that came with your Fire TV Cube do not have power and volume buttons? If so, that’s the 1st-gen Alexa Voice Remote (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071D41YC3/?tag=aftvn-20) and that remote was never included with the 2nd-gen Fire TV Cube. It was, however, initially included with the 1st-gen Fire TV Cube. So, either you bought 1st-gen Fire TV Cubes or someone nefariously swapped out the remotes in the 2nd-gen Fire TV Cube box at some point before you purchased it. Start off by running my Informer app (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MBQ3JX3/?tag=aftvn-20) to see which Cube models you actually have.
Thanks Elias, I’ll check into this tonight when I get home.
What I do know for sure, my Fire TV Cubes are Gen 2, at least that’s what they’re identified as under “My Fire TV > About” in settings. I do have power & volume buttons, but what is the Blue LED at the top right? I definitely don’t have that on any of my remotes.
Oh, ok. If you do have power/volume buttons and the layout is the same, then you do have the 2nd-gen remote. The blue LED is there on your remote, but it’s just under the remote’s housing. If you press the mic button, the led should light up.
Don’t I feel silly! I’ve had these Cubes for a year and never once used voice control hence I did not know there was a hidden blue led. I must be showing my age, it’s just easier for me to point and click with the remote. In fairness every room that has a Cube in it also has an Echo Dot so all my voice prompts go through them.
I believe the Blue LED light is the Alexa Icon, which would be equivalent to the Mic/Voice command button on previous remotes.
gaines = gain’s = possessive
Doh! Fixed.
I just purchased a new fire tv cube from Amazon. It did not come with the new remote. I also purchased a 3rd gen fire stick that did come with the remote. I tried to use the new remote with the fire tv cube. I could not get it to recognize it no matter what I tried. I then spent 2 hours with Amazon Fire Cube tech support and even with them connecting to my cube they also could not get it to find it when scanning. They finally contacted their 2nd level tech support and found that it would not work. I had to pair it with the remote it came with.
If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.
Follow up: I found that my wife mixed up the two boxes of my cubes so the newest one did come with the updated remote with the netflix, disney+ etc. That remote worked fine with it.
BUT the identical looking remotes that came with my Gen 3 Firesticks that I purchased at the same time WOULD NOT BE DETECTED BY MY CUBE !! I tried them first and none were detected while in scanning mode. When I put batteries into the remote that came with it and put it into detection mode the cube immediately found it paired with it and the cube started downloading and installing the newest update.
I will be returning the 3 firesticks I purchased from Amazon to Amazon.
I personally wish these remotes with the pointless extra buttons was an option rather than always there since you may not subscribe to all of those. The only positive of having those buttons is it frees up space in the new interface for other apps that you do use.