2015 has been a big year for media streaming boxes, with all of the major players issuing new hardware models. Amazon is still technically the new kid on the block with its Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, so the company has made it a point to add as many services and apps to its streamer as possible.
The company announced today that since September it has added over 1,000 channels, apps, and games to its streaming software library. Even more impressive is that this pushes the total number of options available to consumers to more than 4,000, making its selection the largest available.
Amazon isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, either, and is adding new channels and apps constantly. This week alone, the firm added NBC, NBC Sports, Watch HGTV, Watch Food Network, Watch Travel Channel, and Fox Now, among others.
“We’re thrilled to bring these popular new channels, apps, and games to Fire TV customers,” Amazon Appstore vice president Steve Rabauchin said in a statement released today. “We are excited that Fire TV has become the #1 streaming media player in the US, and customers are loving their new Fire TV devices. Because of this positive customer response, developers continue to bring great apps to the platform, with app selection increasing by more than 1,000 channels, apps, and games since September.”
Initially the streaming box’s gaming features were dismissed by some as a mere gimmick, but the selection of available games keeps growing, and includes some impressive names. Recent additions to the lineup include Shovel Knight, Minecraft: Story Mode, OlliOlli 2, and Dark Echo.
Earlier this year Amazon updated the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, adding support for 4K Ultra HD streaming to the former and Alexa voice search to both. For those looking to jump on board with the addition of the above games, Amazon is currently selling a gaming edition of the hardware, which includes a game controller, at a discounted price.
The competition is sure to remain tough, but for now it seems that Amazon is on top when it comes to sales, thanks to some strategically timed discounts on its hardware. The company says that from July through October, Amazon’s was the top-selling streaming media player throughout the U.S.
As for the future, we’re looking forward to seeing what Roku and the Apple TV are going to do to catch up.
