In the case of Amazon’s Fire tablet line-up, the retail overlord has stubbornly stuck to Fire OS — an offshoot of Android — ever since it debuted back in 2011. No longer, according to a recent report from Reuters, which reckons Amazon will finally make the leap to proper Android and ditch Fire OS altogether.
‘Bout time, amirite?
After years of fending off customer complaints related to the homegrown operating system, it seems Amazon has decided it isn’t worth the hassle, with plans to release a new high-end Fire device sometime next year. The project is known internally as Kittyhawk, for some reason, and will arrive with Android proper, according to six sources.
Not only is the switch a boon for consumers, who have likely interacted with the more intuitive OS at some point, even if they don’t own any devices running Android, it’ll make a world of difference when it comes to app variety. Before, developers were required to develop separate Fire OS builds of their apps, leading some to… not.
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This isn’t just a simple switch to Android for Amazon. It’s indicative of a much larger philosophy shift for the company. Where it once sought to sell cheaper tablets, oftentimes “at or near manufacturing cost.” If the rumours of a more high-end device turning up are true, that will be changing.
Still, it’s not a done deal. Reuters’ sources mention that while a successful Kittyhawk launch would improve its standing with customers who “crave compatibility with other Android devices,” they also note that the project could be delayed or cancelled over “financial or other concerns.”
