Image Credit: Amazon
Amazon's Fire TV has always had a fair share of advertisements, but lately, it seems the company is looking for even more places to put them. Some users have recently noticed that Amazon is now using the screensaver to show more ads.
Recent Changes to the Screensaver
According to a report by CordCuttersNews, Amazon has updated Fire TV devices to display a full-screen ad after the TV has been idle for a few seconds. While having ads on a screensaver isn’t a new idea—Roku has been doing this for a while—Amazon's approach is quite noticeable because the ad takes up the entire screen.
Interestingly, these ads don’t stay on the screen forever. After about 30 seconds, the ad is replaced by the usual screensaver images or animations that you have selected. This means that while the ads are intrusive, they aren’t permanent fixtures on your screen.
Amazon's Explanation
Amazon has responded to these observations by saying that these ads are part of their "Ambient Experience." This might suggest that the company sees these ads as a way to enhance the idle screen experience, though many users might disagree with this perspective. It's worth noting that this behavior isn’t entirely new. AFTVNews pointed out that some users on Reddit have noticed similar ads for years. It seems that Amazon might be either changing the format of these ads or making them visible to a broader audience.
User Reactions and Rollout
So far, it doesn’t appear that all Fire TV users are seeing these new screensaver ads. The reports about this change mainly come from CordCuttersNews, and there haven’t been widespread complaints or confirmations from other sources. This could mean that Amazon is either slowly rolling out the change or that it’s only affecting a select group of users. Another possibility is that the feature might be turned off by certain settings, which many users might have already disabled.
Previous Ad Implementations
This isn’t the first time Amazon has experimented with ads on Fire TV. Just last month, Amazon reduced the prominence of ads that would appear full-screen as soon as the TV was turned on. These ads were also quite intrusive, but Amazon eventually provided an option in the Settings menu to turn them off. It's possible that this same setting might also control the new screensaver ad behavior.
How to Handle Ads on Fire TV
If you’re a Fire TV user and find these ads bothersome, there are a few steps you can take. First, check your Settings menu to see if there’s an option to disable these screensaver ads. Since Amazon allowed users to turn off the full-screen startup ads, they might have included a similar option for the screensaver ads. Keeping your Fire TV device updated with the latest software might also help, as Amazon could refine these features based on user feedback.
Conclusion
Amazon’s latest move to include more ads on the Fire TV screensaver has sparked mixed reactions. While some see it as an unnecessary intrusion, others might not mind it as much, especially if the ads are short-lived. The company’s explanation that these ads are part of an "Ambient Experience" suggests they are here to stay, at least for a while. However, user feedback and possible settings adjustments could influence how widespread and persistent these ads become.
For now, Fire TV users will need to keep an eye on their settings and updates to manage the ad experience on their devices. As always, staying informed about these changes will help users make the most of their Fire TV without feeling overwhelmed by ads.