Amazon has just updated their Fire TV developer documentation with more specifications for devlopers to follow to ensure their apps display properly on the upcoming new Fire TV interface. In doing so, they’ve added new screenshots of the upcoming interface which give us our first look at what the new Apps section looks like.
This first new shot of the new interface appears to be an app discovery screen for featured apps. On screen are three rows of apps listing Editor’s Picks, Best New Apps & Games, and Trending apps. The upper third of the screen seems to be dedicated to displaying information about the app that is currently highlighted. This seems to be a common UI element that was also present on the previous screenshots of the new interface. I imagine that, if you were to scroll down the screen to other rows that are currently off-screen, the upper third would continue to show information about the item that is highlighted. Meaning, scrolling down would not cause the upper third to scroll away.
Amazon has provided the above image of all the possible overlays that might appear on top of an app’s icon. When apps are downloading or installing, it looks like that will be indicated on the app icon, similar to how it is on the current interface. However, what’s new are the icons in the upper left corner indicating that an app is NEW and/or UHD. It’s possible other indicators, in addition to the two shown, will be displayed. Lastly, a cloud icon in the upper right probably indicates the app has been purchased/downloaded in the past but is not currently installed on the device.
Next we have a look at what the app information screen will look like. Note that the image above is just a mockup using the Amazon Music app for demonstration purposes and that Amazon will not actually be charging $4.99 for their music app. A background image of the app, with relevant text about the app, are the prominent elements on the screen. In the center is a row of screenshots and trailer videos for the app, and below that we see a row of related apps with the label “Customers Also Bought.”
The last new shot we have is a look at what a featured video may look like on the device’s Home screen. This image indicates that when a video a is playing, it will cover the static image banner ads and navigation menu that are at the top of the screen. There is a “Learn More” button that presumably takes you the the info screen of the video or app being featured. The 5 navigation dots, which weren’t present in the previous shots of the Home screen, seem to indicate that the large featured banner will slide through several images and/or videos.
This new interface will be arriving later this year to all Fire TV devices through a software update. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 2 and Fire TV 2 will receive the new interface first, followed by the 1st-gen Fire TV and Fire TV Stick.
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THAT is the android tv Leanback Launcher. I like that Amazon is going to use it. It’s simple and clean.
clean?
I see only very much tiles which Microsoft flops on your Phones. Better was i can disable these recommendation-titles.
It’s much cleaner than the current interface.
Amazon is undeniably taking inspiration from the superior Android TV Leanback Launcher UI. Funny how Amazon seems to be beating Google at their own game in making Android-based TV devices. But I’m betting the new Fire TV home screen will still contain an overwhelming amount of Amazon Prime Video hype even for users who aren’t Prime subscribers, which is a turnoff for me. (Even worse are the non-TV-specific Amazon ads at the top of the home screen, such as for Echo or paper towels or whatever.) If you’re sold on always being a Prime member and you enjoy watching at least a modest amount of Prime Video content, the Fire TV looks like a great device. But for anyone else, not so much. It would be like a non-Hulu subscriber getting a “Hulu Box” that offers a bunch of different apps but only heavily promotes Hulu content…
But I want apps not just viewing apps we already have those. I want to play shattered pixel dungeon on my tv
Any news on where side loaded apps get displayed?
Looks pretty nice. I subscribe to Prime, so the interface, old or new, is fine.
While I’ve had no problems with the interface using my Stick for only Netflix, Crackle, Popcorn Flix, and some others, I can understand Nash’s point.
Only problem I have right now is trying to decide whether to buy the new Stick or the box.
I use the Stick plugged into my A/V receiver in my main system. I want to add another one to the set in the bedroom.
I’ve had the Stick for two years now, and it works great. Very pleased with it.
If you like the old stick the box makes that thing out to be a dinosaur. Get a box for your main system and stick that old stick in the bedroom. You’ll thank me later.
Is this update a Kodi killer?
Why does the app for Hulu have a cloud symbol? And if I download it do I still get the free trial?