On October 2, 2025, Amazon announced the launch of its new Vega OS, a custom-built operating system for entertainment devices. This was accompanied by the introduction of the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which comes with Vega preinstalled.
Details of Vega OS Launch
The Fire TV Stick 4K Select was revealed alongside new Fire TVs that still operate on Amazon’s forked version of Android. Developers face challenges supporting both platforms, leading to hesitance from major publishers to fully support Vega. To address this, Amazon will run Android versions of popular apps in the cloud, streaming them to the Select stick.
According to Amazon spokesperson Melanie Garvey, “Select developers will have their existing apps cloud streamed while they develop a version of their app for Vega.” Amazon has begun publishing documentation for developers focusing on app development for Vega, which is Linux-based and utilizes React Native as its primary framework.
Cloud App Streaming Program
Amazon’s Cloud App Program allows existing Fire TV apps to be deployed on Vega OS devices. Apps that run on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max can operate on Vega OS through cloud app streaming if they meet specific prerequisites. Amazon will publish small container apps for these cloud-streamed applications on the Fire TV app store, streaming the actual app from its cloud servers.
Amazon’s initiative primarily targets apps from major publishers, offering cloud streaming free for the first nine months. During this time, publishers are encouraged to develop native Vega apps. Eventually, a fee may be charged based on the number of monthly active users.
