Amazon has begun to install its Vega OS on some devices

For a long time, Amazon’s line of Fire tablets and Fire TV sticks has operated on Fire OS, a system based on Android. However, earlier reports indicated that Amazon is planning to abandon Android in favor of a proprietary operating system for its devices. According to sources from Liliputing and Zatz Not Funny, this in-house system, already in use on some devices, is known as Vega.

Developed from the Linux kernel, Amazon has dedicated several years to crafting Vega. Zatz Not Funny discovered that the system, in a very early version, numbered 1.1, is operating on the third-generation Echo Show 5 Kids Edition. More intriguingly, additional information (Echo Ship 1560/75) indicates that Vega OS has been running on these devices for at least one to two months.

In terms of the system interface and user experience, Vega OS does not significantly differ from Fire OS. Consequently, the average user is unlikely to notice the change, as few people delve into settings to check the version number. Functionality-wise, the Echo Show 5 still cannot stream content from Netflix, possibly due to the absence of a Vega OS-compatible app.

While developing its operating system allows Amazon to further tighten control and optimize its devices, building an application ecosystem, as with other systems, remains a significant challenge. Given that smart speakers have fewer functions and usage scenarios compared to tablets and smart TVs, Amazon’s decision to initially test the new system on smart speakers is a logical strategy.