A user interface should be just that: an interface that feels great to a device’s owners. You need to have enough features, settings, and dashboard elements to interact with and customize, but you also don’t want screens and tabs to be cluttered. Unfortunately, being “overwhelming” is something that device makers aren’t too concerned about when trying to promote a new product or service – and many Fire TV device owners are witnessing this. First reported by AFTVnews, it appears Amazon is serving new full-screen ads on Fire TV home screens that appear when the device is powered on. While this is simply a suggestion to download the all-new redesigned version of the Fire TV app, users must dismiss the ad to regain access to the interface.
Occasional ads are nothing new to anyone using a Fire TV product, even for a few hours. They’re a natural part of most smart TVs and streaming devices today, and this isn’t even the first time Fire TV has served full-screen ads to users before they start watching anything. Full-page notifications and error messages are also common, but these prompts are usually related to system-level alerts that can affect the overall functionality of the device. It’s a little different than Amazon saying, “Hey, download our new app.” It’s bigger and better, we promise!
Today’s Fire TV Commercial, Tomorrow’s Dog Food Commercial
We don’t want system notifications to disappear. It’s important to know when Bluetooth gadgets connected to your Fire Stick are no longer paired or if a new software update is available. What freaks people out is that Amazon didn’t do it; the company simply wanted to tell as many users as possible to download the latest version of the Fire TV app. This is by no means an urgent alert, so it can easily feel like an unnecessary interruption.
There is also the greater fear that Amazon is testing the waters of a new advertising strategy. If Fire TV users don’t make enough of a fuss over full-screen ads, who’s to say Amazon won’t turn around and start selling ads to third-party companies? Media outlets like AFTV seem to think this is inevitable, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to assume otherwise. Of course, there’s an argument to be made that an ad for a Fire TV app is a system-adjacent nudge for users to upgrade to Amazon’s newest software. But smart TV interfaces should follow the idea of being a personal entertainment portal and not a rotating billboard.
Only time will tell if Amazon decides to continue using full-screen ads and for what types of products and services the company will use them. But if the squeaky wheel decides to shut up, it won’t get any grease. In other words, users who say nothing are simply telling big tech that they are willing to tolerate these kinds of interface changes. So give it a go, unless you want to see a two-pack of toothpaste or a fast food promotion every time you turn on your TV.
