Earlier today Amazon announced the Fire TV, a device that has long been rumored, which is basically their answer to other set top boxes like the Apple TV and Roku. In fact its asking price of $99 is on par with Apple’s own asking price of $99, making it a pretty credible competitor to the Apple TV.
So is this something Apple should be worried about? Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster certainly seems to think so and believes that the Fire TV is basically what the Apple TV should have been all along, and that he hopes with the launch of the Fire TV that Apple will finally start to do something about it.
Munster has compared the number of dedicated content partners and games available on each platform. Roku is the clear winner at 1,300 partners, followed by Amazon’s Fire TV at 41, with Apple trailing in third with only 31. He also adds that the Fire TV offers features that the Apple TV doesn’t, such as voice control, which is a little odd given all the fuss Apple has made about Siri over the years.
According to the rumors, an Apple TV refresh could be around the corner. However if previous rumors are true, it seems that Apple might have scaled back some of their more ambitious plans for the Apple TV which could be disappointing for Apple TV users. In any case it’s safe to say that Amazon’s entrance onto the scene has definitely heated up the competition, but what do you guys think? Will it be able to outdo the Apple TV?
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