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What is Fire Operating System?

Fire OS is an operating system that is based on Android. It is also known as Amazon's operating system. It is similar to Android OS, with the exception of support for any Google products or services. Fire OS is utilized by Amazon Fire devices and phones.

The Kindle Fire, Fire Phone, Amazon Echo devices, and Fire TV Stick are just a few examples of Amazon products that use the Fire OS. It is an Android operating system that has been modified. The Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system served as the foundation for the initial iteration of Fire OS. The most recent version of Fire OS is Fire OS 5, which is based on Android Lollipop, and is available as of January 2019.

Amazon tried to use Google's Fire OS as its own operating system and include it in a new line of Amazon handsets called the Fire Phone, but Google's license agreement prevented Amazon from doing so.

What is Fire Operating System

Differences between Android and Fire OS:

Although Fire OS is based on the Android operating system, its features have several distinctions. Fire OS uses the Silk browser instead of Android, which uses the Chrome browser. Also, Amazon provides its own store software, the Amazon Appstore, on the Fire OS instead of the Google Play app on the Android OS. Instead of using Google Drive, Amazon also provided its own cloud player and drive apps.

What exactly is an Android fork?

An application that uses Android as its foundation but is not kept up to date by Google is known as an Android fork. For instance, Amazon developed Fire OS, which has since been modified to suit the company's preferences. The Samsung phones that run on Android but still have the functionality and formality that Samsung wants to see in its products are an example of how this strategy is frequently employed in Android gadgets. However, users cannot access Google Mobile Services (GMS) through systems like Fire OS since Google forbids Android forks from utilizing its own features and application programming interface (API).

With Fire OS, Amazon gives customers access to services like the Amazon App Store rather than the Google Play Store, so helping to keep consumers within the Amazon ecosystem.

What is the most recent Fire OS version?

The most recent Fire OS version that is Fire OS 7, which is based on Android 9 is one of the three OS that are available right now. While Fire OS 5 was built on Android 5.1, Fire OS 6 is based on Android 7.1.

How to check for updates and view your Fire OS version:

You can quickly determine which Fire OS version is installed on your Amazon tablet if you don't know. The steps are as follows:

  • First, go to Android settings and find the shortcut to Android Settings on your home screen or notification shade.
  • The Device Options section can be found by scrolling to the bottom of the list and tapping it.
  • After that, select System Updates from the menu
  • Now, you can check what Fire OS version you are using at the top of the page.

In this section, an update may be waiting for you if you're using an older version of Fire OS. In that case, a restart prompt will appear after it has finished installing in the background. Depending on how far behind you are on updates, you may need to go through these procedures more than once.

On what devices does Fire OS run?

There are a few items that utilize Fire OS, with Amazon devices being the most prominent example. A brief list of some of the devices that use Fire OS is shown below.

  • Amazon Kindle (2022)
  • Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021)
  • Amazon Kindle Scribe
  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Amazon Fire TV Stick
  • Amazon Echo Dot
  • Amazon Echo Dot Plus

Characteristics of Fire OS:

There are various characteristics of Fire OS. Some main characteristics of Fire OS are as follows:

  • Distinct launcher :

Fire OS looks very different from the majority of other Android-based skins. One of Android's most distinctive features (the app drawer) is absent from the launcher itself. Instead, all of your apps are placed on your home screen. Additionally, a horizontal scrolling function lets you quickly access different curated areas. For instance, by swiping to the right, you may view your ebooks, apps, games, and Prime Video recommendations in the Library section. Compared to other Android devices, the Fire tablet series has an intriguing vibe because of its distinctive layout.

  • Device Dashboard :

An Amazon tablet will have a tiny "home" symbol in the navigation bar's bottom left. After that, you arrive at the Device Dashboard. All of your Alexa-enabled devices are connected to you through this special Fire OS feature. Consider it to be somewhat similar to the Google Home app on Amazon. It only goes to show how seriously Amazon takes its network of Alexa-enabled smart home products, as seen by its prominent position on the navigation bar.

  • Amazon Appstore :

The absence of the Google Play Store on Amazon tablets has already been noticed a few times. Although it might initially appear to be a big drawback, the Amazon Appstore actually has a lot of useful features. For example, prices aren't always identical to those on the Play Store. In other words, while some programs are more expensive than others, some are less expensive on the Appstore. Additionally, Windows 11 will incorporate the Appstore, making it even more popular. The idea is that the Appstore is a unique kind of store and might wind up working out better for you than the Play Store in some respects.

  • Display Mode :

Display Mode is available if you have an Amazon tablet that is more recent and larger than seven inches. Your tablet essentially becomes an always-on smart display with Alexa accessible hands-free due to this mode. Simply swipe down the notification shade and tap the Show Mode button to activate it in Fire OS. On the other hand, you can simply say, "Alexa, switch to Show Mode". Additionally, wireless charging stands exist that make show mode simple.

Hexnode UEM provides feature support:

Fire OS is compatible with most Android features except for a small number of capabilities.

  • There is no support for Hexnode for Work.
  • The location mode should be set to High Accuracy to retrieve the precise position.
  • Fire OS does not support zero-touch enrollment and Google Workspace (G Suite)
  • Fire OS supports no functionality particular to Samsung Knox and Android Enterprise devices.
  • The 'Enforce app downgrade' option can't be used on Fire OS under Policies > Android > Mandatory Apps.
  • Only a few Amazon gadgets allow you to set wallpaper.
  • All Amazon devices do not support Hexnode Kiosk Browser.
  • The Kiosk Screensaver only supports setting up photos as a screensaver for Fire OS.
  • Fire OS does not support the streaming of video files; instead, it only supports image display for digital signage.
  • The constraints Under Policies > Kiosk Settings >Android Kiosk Mode > Peripheral Settings > Network, users can switch mobile data on or off and select their preferred network type. These options are device-specific.

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