The recently released 3rd-gen Alexa Voice Remote for Fire TV devices has just gone out of stock this morning in the US. The remote is also out of stock in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK. It’s unusual for a Fire TV remote to go out of stock at all but even more unusual given that this remote was released less than 4 months ago. My guess is that either Amazon is experiencing manufacturing delays, possibly due to the global chip shortage, or the upcoming new Amazon remote that recently passed through regulatory aproval is actually destined to replace the 3rd-gen Alexa Voice Remote.
As previously mentioned, it’s pretty rare for a Fire TV Remote to go out of stock. The last time I can recall it happening was in early 2017 when there were production issues with the remote, which caused the remote and both the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick to go out of stock as well. That remote shortage lasted 5 months and, while supply did eventually stabilize, Amazon ditched the remote altogether a few months later for one that looked exactly the same on the outside but had entirely new internal components.
The short supply of the latest Fire TV remote is likely due to the global chip shortage that is affecting many different consumer products, but the fact that a new remote seems to be close to being released does open up the possibility that the existing remote is being replaced. It would surely be unusual for Amazon to replace a remote less than 4 months after it was released, so I don’t think that’s actually what is happening here, but it’s certainly not out of the question.
The short supply of remotes may be why all Fire TV models went on sale this morning, except the 3rd-gen Fire TV Stick, which is the only one in the US that comes bundled with the new remote. The older Alexa Voice Remote, which does not include app buttons and a guide button, is currently in stock, as is the even older remote, which doesn’t come with TV controls. So, if the supply shortage lasts a long time and you find yourself needing a replacement remote, you do have options.
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I had no problem getting one when they were first announced. My second one took a couple months. This is not surprising as it’s fantastic. The dedicated grid guide button is sweet. And the four services I subscribe to happen to be the four buttons included. It’s great jumping to the service and back to home or to the grid guide. This upgrade nearly cancelled the google tv watchlist or continue watching carousels except I often confuse what service I’m watching particular shows on. Sucks getting old.
people need to know the new remotes will not work with earlier versions of fire tv , both boxes and gen 1 units,before buy these new remotes.
I think they know. The previous remote already didn’t work on Fire TV 1 (stick and box) plus Fire TV 2. No remote with volume control ever did.
you and me know, just letting others know that may think a new remote will volume and power.