Amazon’s latest Fire TV update has broken some third-party apps
Fire TV apps not working? Here’s why
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Amazon’s latest Fire TV update has broken a number of popular third-party apps, users are reporting – with advanced modding apps, such as those that skip the Fire TV home screen, apparently the worst hit.
AsAFTVnewsexplains, the newest version of the Fire OS software blocks access to something called the Android Debug Bridge (ADB). Essentially, this is a feature used by developers to access system controls and settings that aren’t normally available.
It means that apps that do anything out of the ordinary – like clearing the cache of a Fire TV device to free up memory, or running a console game emulator – are now blocked. If you notice something broken on devices like theAmazon Fire TV Stick 4K, this may well be why.
In statements to AFTVnews andArs Technica, Amazon said the update was in the interests of improving security on Fire TV devices, and that any developers affected by the changes should get in touch with Amazon directly.
Security, security, security
While it’s true that ADB connections, with their deeper device access, can be used for malicious purposes in some cases, it’s also true that these connections must be made deliberately: they don’t happen on their own, without any user interaction or alerts.
It seems that Amazon hasn’t given any advance warning to developers or users that this change was going to be made, which has left people with crashes and error messages. If you’re using an affected app, the only option seems to be to stop using it.
Clearly, Fire TV mods – ones that skip the default home screen, for example – aren’t in Amazon’s best interests. Like every other big tech firm, it wants everyone going through the official channels and interfaces, which are the most secure (and also happen to be the most well-monetized).
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
As perArs Technica, one developer was told that their app had been broken because it “overrides the native user experience”, which gives a bit more insight into Amazon’s thinking. If, as rumored, it’splanning to ditch Androidon its Fire TV devices, it’ll get even more control over the software interface.
You might also like
Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.
The Apple TV 4K just got even more interesting for projectors in tvOS 18.2
Amazon just dropped the Fire TV Stick HD, and it comes with a nice surprise in the box
NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Sunday, November 10 (game #252)
