Signs point to the rumored Amazon Fire TV Cube being a real device that may debut soon. AFTVNews first spotted a new page on Amazon.com that promotes the device with the slogan, “What is Fire TV Cube?” The page provides no other details about the device, but it allows those interested to sign up to receive more information as it becomes available.
Last September, AFTVNews also first leaked images of what we now refer to as the rumored Fire TV Cube. The renders make it look like a cube-version of an Echo Dot, with mute, action, and volume buttons on the top and edges covered with strips of blue light. As part of the Fire TV family, the Cube could be a set-top box of sorts that lets users stream video, music, and other content provided by Amazon and the Fire TV platform.
Amazon still sells the Fire TV stick and released the new Fire TV with 4K HDR support shortly after the image of the Fire TV Cube leaked (those leaks incidentally also included a render of the new Fire TV with 4K HDR). All Fire TV devices can make use of Amazon’s Alexa, but they need an Echo device or a compatible remote to do so. The Fire TV Cube is rumored to eliminate the need for the Echo device or the remote by having Alexa built in, which would cement its existence as a streaming-capable, Echo Dot-like hybrid device.
Since we don’t know more details, the true nature of the Fire TV Cube remains unknown for now. Amazon is capable of building Alexa into all sorts of devices, so it would make sense for it to combine its popular AI assistant into a streaming device. Competing companies with streaming devices including Apple, Roku, and TiVo still take the remote route for voice commands. Amazon’s expertise in the voice recognition and AI assistance may give Fire TV devices an advantage if Amazon can integrate Alexa properly, giving customers a convenient way to search for content.
We’ll keep our eyes peeled for official news about the Fire TV Cube—whatever it may be—since Amazon may be gearing up for a release soon.
https://arstechnica.com/?p=1298905