Amazon Planning March Launch for Apple TV Set-Top Box Competitor

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In light of recent reports stating that Apple is hard at work on an Apple TV refresh, Amazon is allegedly readying a new Web TV box that would compete with Apple's set-top box and the Roku, according to Re/code. The report states that Amazon's new media streaming device could be available as soon as March.

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Similar to rumors that surfaced last year, this latest information claims Amazon's set-top box will tie into the company's Instant Video service and may support third-party content providers in a manner similar to the Apple TV and Roku.

A box is also a logical move for Amazon, which is investing heavily to build up a Web video catalog, and is starting to produce its own shows as well. An Amazon box will allow its customers to easily watch that stuff on their TVs; it should also give other content providers a chance to serve up their stuff via apps, in the way that Roku and Apple TV boxes do.

Sources tell me Amazon’s box is will be powered by Google’s Android operating system, which is also not a surprise — Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets use a “forked” version of Android.

Re/code also speculates that Amazon's set-top box could contain a gaming component, noting that the company is looking to expand its Amazon Games Studio by hiring game developers who can "break down technology barriers and deliver experiences people have never seen before." This follows another recent rumor from VG247 that suggests the online retailer is working on an Android gaming console similar to the Ouya.

Amazon has stepped up its streaming content offerings in the past year, producing 14 original television pilots and using feedback to decide which get made into full shows, as well as spending significant amounts of money to secure exclusive rights to popular shows like Downton Abbey and The West Wing.

Currently, Amazon's Instant Video service is available on iPads and iPhones, the Xbox 360, the Nintendo Wii, the Sony Playstation 3, smart televisions from LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio, TiVo, the Roku box, as well as a number of Blu-ray players.

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Top Rated Comments

MattG Avatar
MattG
154 months ago
Ugggh...I just want one box that does it all. Wish ATV would just do Amazon Prime.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GenesisST Avatar
GenesisST
154 months ago
The more the better. The faster cable companies loose power over distribution, the better.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
monty77 Avatar
monty77
154 months ago
..hopefully this means Apple will finally give us the App store we've wanted for so long - letting Amazon get there first would be extremely unwise.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alent1234 Avatar
alent1234
154 months ago
they banned my account with no warnings or notice and screwed over all my DIGITAL PURCHASES and bricked two kindles in the process. F them, even if you think your account would never get banned I want everyone to take note that they have the ability to mess you up real badly and what's worse screw over digital content that you supposedly OWN over issues that have no relationship to the digital purchases. Other than that, yeah, great idea, the market is screaming for yet another set top streaming media box.

i'm sure you had nothing to do with it
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
japanime Avatar
japanime
154 months ago
And Roku will continue to quietly kick everyone else's butts.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
edk99 Avatar
edk99
154 months ago
Incredibly it seems they make very little, therefore pay very little in tax.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/16/amazon-tax-avoidance-profits

..massive uproar in the UK not so long ago as they were branded a tax cheat given their billions in turnover, press neglected to highlight that you don't pay tax on turnover only profit.
It always amazes me that people are quick to brand a company a "tax cheat" when in reality they are just following the rules put in place by the government. Until government changes the rules or they are caught red handed actually really cheating on their taxes then the peoples uproar should be with the government and not Amazon, Apple or google or any other large world wide company that legally takes advantage of tax laws to lower their tax exposure. They shouldn't have to give the government one penny more then they have to just like each one of us.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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