Amazon bids to spark new markets for Fire TV

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://www.fiercevideo.com/video/amazon-s-bid-to-spark-new-markets-for-fire-tv

BERLIN—Amazon is enlisting outside help to kindle further interest in its Fire TV platform.

At an event here Wednesday on the eve of the IFA electronics trade show, the Seattle tech giant announced hardware, retail and content partnerships intended to get that streaming-media system in front of more eyes and ears.

“I think what you saw for us today is that goal to expand continuously in new markets,” Sandeep Gupta, vice president of product development for Fire TV, said in an interview after the event.

The gadgets unveiled Wednesday night included Amazon’s first soundbar, the Nebula Soundbar, developed with Anker. That $230 Fire TV device ($270 in Canada, £180 in the United Kingdom, €210 in Germany, shipping Nov. 21) includes 4K UHD support and Alexa voice input via its remote control.

Amazon also announced an updated Fire TV Cube—the first appearance of that $120 streaming player in Canada, Germany, Japan and the U.K.—with faster voice control.

Amazon’s other hardware news featured other companies’ work. Amazon is expanding its connected-TV initiative with a lineup of 11 Fire TV Edition sets from Grundig. Their screens, using LCD or OLED technology, range from 32 inches to 65 inches, with prices starting at €239.99.

The Grundig model demonstrated onstage missed a command spoken in German. Alexa has lagged in language support; Amazon’s Alexa Skills Kit, for example, is limited to English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Fire TV to get international attention in other countries.