Amazon Fire TV users are facing huge news at the end of this month.
Amazon continues to crack down on so-called ‘dodgy’ Fire TV Sticks, which let users illegally stream paid content for free. YouGov polling data shows roughly 1.5 million adults have watched illegal streams via jailbroken Amazon Fire TV Sticks within the last six months.
UK households have been warned as authorities launch home raids to identify users illegally accessing premium content for free from platforms such as Netflix and Sky Sports.
At the same time, Amazon has pursued its own initiatives, including partnerships with anti-piracy organisations to root out unauthorised applications from its marketplace and releasing updated devices that block third-party app installations.
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The tech giant warns that such sticks can make devices more vulnerable to malware and cyber fraud. Those running the 'modded' sticks are now shown a warning if they use an illegal app.
Now, the company has announced that its Amazon Fire TV Blaster accessory will soon be completely unusable.
Customer emails from Amazon reveal that support for the Fire TV Blaster will be phased out on 31 January 2026 after being on the market for six years.
Once set up, the Fire TV Blaster allowed users to control soundbars, adjust volume, and switch TV channels via Alexa voice commands.
The online superstore has since emailed anyone who purchased one of the Fire TV accessories to explain what's happening next.
"We're emailing because you purchased a Fire TV Blaster - an accessory for hands-free control of soundbars and TVs when combined with a Fire TV Stick and Echo device," the customer email reads. "In the coming weeks, support for Fire TV Blaster will be discontinued, and the device will stop working."
This is the first time the e-commerce company will remotely disable a fully operational smart home device. Although judging by its modest 3,603 customer ratings, it wasn’t one of Amazon's most popular TV device products compared to its other models.
Fortunately, to cushion the impact, Amazon said it is offering a full refund to customers in the UK, while customers in the US are being offered an exclusive discount.
Additionally, customers may send their soon-to-be-useless Blaster back to Amazon for recycling. According to the Jeff Bezos-owned company, there's reduced demand for a standalone IR blaster, given how advanced Fire TV products have become and the widespread adoption of HDMI-CEC technology in the smart home industry.