Word has it that Amazon is gearing up for a big refresh of its Fire TV lineup.
Amazon is planning to release two new Fire TVs this year — a mid-range model, and a new premium version — and both will be able to stream 4K HDR video at 60 frames per second. That's according to AFTVnews, which has produced some reliable leaks in the past. The news comes just ahead of Apple's big press event, where the Cupertino tech giant is expected to unveil a new Apple TV that supports 4K streams.
AFTVnews said Amazon's new high-end Fire TV will be a "cube shaped set-top box" featuring an array of microphones so you can talk to and control Alexa hands-free, a built-in speaker so the virtual assistant can talk back to you, and an IR emitter that will let you control your TV and other audio/video equipment.
There's no word about the the specs of the new flagship model but AFTVnews says it "essentially combines the functionality of a Fire TV, an Echo Dot, and an IR emitter, like the Harmony Hub, into a single device."
The new mid-range Fire TV, meanwhile, looks like a square version of Google Chromecast, as you can see in the leaked image above. This model will reportedly feature a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage, AFTVnews reported. That makes it "slightly more powerful" than the current Fire TV Stick and "notably less powerful" than the existing Fire TV, the report notes.
Amazon will also likely keep its existing Fire TV Stick in the mix as a more wallet-friendly option for those who don't want 4K or HDR video.
The new mid-tier model will be announced this month and released in October, while the new premium version will make its debut later this year or early next, according to AFTVnews. There's no word yet about pricing, but the news outlet reckons the mid-tier model will be priced between $60 and $80, while the new premium version will likely cost more than $100.