Amazon has revealed a new, portable version of its streaming box the size of a USB stick that plugs directly into a TV’s HDMI port.
Similar to the Google Chromecast – which also plugs into a TV and can stream content from a mobile device – the Fire TV Stick contains the Fire TV interface that is found in the ecommerce giant’s existing streaming box, including apps for Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Sky News.
Streaming television shows and movies is becoming increasingly popular, with a recent YouGov survey claiming that one in three British adults downloads or streams content on a weekly basis.
The company says its Fire TV box has been the most popular item in its category on Amazon.co.uk since going on sale. The software included also contains access to games and Amazon’s subscription-based TV and movie streaming service.
Jeff Bezos, founder and chief executive of Amazon, says the Fire TV Stick is the most powerful streaming media stick on the market. It boasts 8GB of storage, a remote control and voice-activated search.
The device will cost £35 and goes on sale on 15 April. Amazon Prime customers will be able to buy it for £19 for the first two days after that.
Non-Prime members who want to join the streaming and delivery programme, which costs £79 a year, can buy the Stick for the equivalent of £7 after a refund.
Amazon ran a similar deal in the US when the Fire TV Stick went on sale at the end of last year. In comparison, Google’s Chromecast costs £30, while a rival stick from Roku costs £45.
The e-retailer has been seeking to branch out into other business areas in recent years, with the Kindle e-reader before moving into tablets and releasing a smartphone last year. However, the Fire Phone received mixed reviews and has sold poorly.
A move into using drones to deliver products has also come a step closer, as last week the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded Amazon a certificate to test the remotely piloted vehicles.
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