Amazon Firestick new OS Vega no more sideloading apps IPTV

[urie]

That’s all I can see when I search for latest fire os is that states os 8. Firestick 4k max runs on os 7.
I think as soon as they connect to the internet they try to update.
So you never installed any app or made any mods to block future updates?

yes i did disable updates ages ago but I cannot see that option now in settings

 

[Aristotle]

yes i did disable updates ages ago but I cannot see that option now in settings

Yeah I remember a YouTuber a while back on about one of the updates had removed that option.

 

[jigger121]

@jigger121 the Apple sideloading stuff only applies to the EU, so the UK devices can’t benefit, so if Amazon need to comply everyone will start buying their sticks from somewhere in the EU 😆

The eu also forced them to add usb c, it will cost them a fortune to run two different os versions, same way it would've cost more to have two versions of mobile. One with USB c and one with lightning.

Also people are just guessing that amazon won't allow sideloading, they have yet to release a statement saying otherwise. Rather than block sideloading I think they will do what apple do and allow it, but make it near impossible for the average user to do

 

[mike123]

It's nothing new about firesticks. They are going to make it harder and harder to sideload apps until they realse Vega the new OS.

I think they are getting fed up with the association of IPTV and other stuff.

I put a post up a couple of months ago about it.

I think the new OS is due in August this year wether or not this will affect older devices is unknown

 

[Dar1437]

Won't they be shooting themselves in the foot? Surely most people only purchase them in order to watch pirate IPTV? :)

 

[mike123]

Won't they be shooting themselves in the foot? Surely most people only purchase them in order to watch pirate IPTV? :)

I doubt if amazon never sold another firestick it would make huge differences to there profits.

They would of done the sums I'm sure.

 

[Dar1437]

I doubt if amazon never sold another firestick it would make huge differences to there profits.

They would of done the sums I'm sure.

True, but it wouldn't be good business to implement something that would cut their sales (unless they've been pressured to do so? :)

 

[mike123]

True, but it wouldn't be good business to implement something that would cut their sales (unless they've been pressured to do so? :)

They are probably thinking the amounts of profits are not worth the bad press.

Or at least it's good PR they ate trying to stop iptv been used on their device.

 

[Dar1437]

They are probably thinking the amounts of profits are not worth the bad press.

Or at least it's good PR they ate trying to stop iptv been used on their device.

Maybe they'll leave a more discreet way of sideloading ;)
I did notice the other week when someone asked me to install an apk, that the adb debugging etc had disappeared from the usual place. I think i had to click on something several times for it to appear (bit like developer mode on Android phones)

 

[mike123]

Yep. My guess is you will be able to install apps but will be more hassle.

People mentioned roku devices you can install iptv on them but it's loads of hassle. That's why they they are not popular. Amazon will probably do the same sort of thing

 

[Aristotle]

Maybe they'll leave a more discreet way of sideloading ;)
I did notice the other week when someone asked me to install an apk, that the adb debugging etc had disappeared from the usual place. I think i had to click on something several times for it to appear (bit like developer mode on Android phones)

I think that’s why I have always used AOS rather than ATV because I never have to side load any of the apps I use.
Well not in the sense that I need two devices.

 

[Ryanm56]

FIRE STICK HOME PAGE CLICK ON THE SETTINGS ICON THEN SELECT MY FIRE TV THEN SELECT MY FIRE TV STICK ABOUT
THEN CLICK THE OK BUTTON 7 TIMES YOU WILL SEE AT THE BOTTOM ON THE SCREEN SAYING YOU ARE NOW NOW A DEVELOPER
THEN CLICK THE BACK BUTTON AND YOU WILL SEE THE THE DEVELOPER OPTION IN THE MENU THEN YOU WILL THE OPTION TO TURN ADB BUGGING ON AND ALLOW UNKNOWN SOURCES

 

[Ferret.]

FIRE STICK HOME PAGE CLICK ON THE SETTINGS ICON THEN SELECT MY FIRE TV THEN SELECT MY FIRE TV STICK ABOUT
THEN CLICK THE OK BUTTON 7 TIMES YOU WILL SEE AT THE BOTTOM ON THE SCREEN SAYING YOU ARE NOW NOW A DEVELOPER
THEN CLICK THE BACK BUTTON AND YOU WILL SEE THE THE DEVELOPER OPTION IN THE MENU THEN YOU WILL THE OPTION TO TURN ADB BUGGING ON AND ALLOW UNKNOWN SOURCES

We hear ya mate no need to shout

 

[Ryanm56]

Apologies as I copied and pasted from my notes on phone.
My bad

 

[boatzel]

I was over at my parents the other day and was messing about with their Fire Stick 4K. Those devices are still Android based but so locked down you can't even easily replace the launcher, remap buttons and disable system apps because ADB is disabled. I'm sure it will probably be figured out but it's clearly the way Amazon are headed.

I honestly don't see any reason to buy a Fire Stick any more unless you A) really love Channel 4 or B) are really integrated into the whole Alexa thing.


A Chromecast with Google TV is a much better alternative, and yes although they are slightly more expensive - a HD CCwGTV is same price as a 4K Fire Stick. If you genuinely have 4K sources that you can't just play though the smart TV then the extra £15/£20 is well worth it just for the sake of having the flexibility to do what you want.

Either that or pick up a load of $20 Walmart Onn 4K boxes next time your on holiday.

 

[Ryanm56]

Yes agree ONN devices are great along with the dcolor GD1 both Google certified

 

[Aristotle]

From what I have read the recent updates only affects ADB requests made by apps on FireTV os, it doesn't affect ADB connections made from other devices.
Side loading using ADB is unaffected but trying to use a launcher manager app will not work.

 

[boatzel]

From what I have read the recent updates only affects ADB requests made by apps on FireTV os, it doesn't affect ADB connections made from other devices.
Side loading using ADB is unaffected but trying to use a launcher manager app will not work.

I'm over tonight so might try playing around with again. Off the top of my head I think I was able to ADB in through my phone but like you said ADB on the device was blocked.

You can theoretically change launchers with the "set-home-activity" adb command but without an ability to hook into the home button with an on-device adb method it's not a whole lot of use.

 

[Ryanm56]

I think you can use apps2fire from your phone to download I think

 

[Aristotle]

I'm over tonight so might try playing around with again. Off the top of my head I think I was able to ADB in through my phone but like you said ADB on the device was blocked.

You can theoretically change launchers with the "set-home-activity" adb command but without an ability to hook into the home button with an on-device adb method it's not a whole lot of use.

Yeah any third party app that uses ADB debugging will not work unless you blocked updates last year some time. Don’t know the exact update that stopped this feature.

You can also get refunds for any app you purchased through Amazon that needed ADB debugging to work.
You could even maybe try and get a refund on the device you recently purchased.

Tivimate actually uses ADB debugging for auto-start and remind features.