The Amazon Fire TV streaming set top box has not even launched in the UK yet, but that doesn’t mean a second-gen model isn’t already in the works.
In fact, Amazon Vice President Peter Larsen has hinted that an Amazon Fire TV 2 device could be with us sooner than expected.
Speaking exclusively with TrustedReviews at an Amazon Fire TV briefing, Larsen suggested that some customers could hold onto the streaming set top box for years but hinted updates could become before that.
When asked whether Fire TV will have long life cycle, Larsen made reference to the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 tablet used in the Fire TV demonstration.
He stated: "This thing (Kindle Fire HDX 8.9) is an unbelievably powerful tablet. We update these things at least once every two years. So I think for a lot of people they will have it (Fire TV) for two, three or four years. A lot of customers will want to keep upgrading to the latest and the greatest as well though."
Amazon has updated its tablet range in that one to two year time frame with the first Kindle Fire tablet launching in 2011 before being updated in 2012 and then to the latest Fire HDX version in 2013.
Larsen claims specs make the Fire TV three times more powerful than Apple TV but it has as much to do with future proofing than simply outperforming its rivals.
“The more [Amazon] X-ray and second screen stuff that you start doing – and we’ve only just started to scratch the surface – it takes a lot of processing power,” Larsen stated.
“It takes a lot of Wi-Fi to have Full HD on your tablet and Full HD on your Fire TV at the same time. That’s an example of the kind of things we are trying to do in the future.”
With the Amazon VP also claiming that the company is looking to bring 4K capabilities to its Amazon Fire TV services, a box refresh could keep the retailer ahead of the competition.
Read More: Amazon Instant Video vs Netflix