If you were holding out for the Amazon set-top box for your living room, the wait may have just extended. According to a new report, the anticipated launch for Amazon’s media streaming device has been pushed back, and may not make it in time for the holidays.
The Verge is reporting that sources tell them Amazon has made the decision to delay the device without a timeframe for release. While the reasons for any such delay were not noted, it could have something to do with manufacturing. If Amazon is moving forward with new hardware, there could simply be supply chain issues. It could also be their severely hamstrung version of Android that’s holding them up.
The box is said to operate on Amazon’s Fire OS, which is a wholly altered version of Android. The report suggests Amazon was prepared to allow third party apps such as Netflix to reside in the box, and that the code is nearly (or exactly) identical to that of their Kindle tablets. Perhaps Amazon was trying to find a workaround to disallow the likes of Netflix from making its way to their Kindle tablets, which are almost a straight conduit for their Prime media offerings.
When will we see this new Amazon device? Who knows. We could still see it for Christmas, or it could make an appearance at CES in 2014. The set-top streaming box is still in the same category as Amazon’s 3D phone and HTC devices: completely rumored, with no hard evidence to support it exists. Whether we want to believe it or not, we’ll need to see some hard evidence it exists before getting too excited.
