Amazon is preparing to permanently switch off a piece of its own hardware, with customers warned that their Fire TV Blaster will stop working entirely within weeks.
The End of the Line for the Fire TV Blaster
The tech giant has begun emailing purchasers of the accessory to inform them that support is being withdrawn. The email states clearly: ‘In the coming weeks, support for Fire TV Blaster will be discontinued, and the device will stop working.’
This move marks a significant shift in policy. While Amazon has ceased selling products before, such as the Echo Flex speaker in 2021, this is the first instance of the company deliberately 'bricking' a fully functional smart home device still in customers' homes. The Fire TV Blaster itself was removed from sale last year.
The device functioned by emitting infrared signals to control TVs, soundbars, and set-top boxes. It allowed owners of a standard Fire TV Stick to gain hands-free voice control via Alexa, similar to the built-in feature of the more expensive Fire TV Cube.
Discount Offered, But No Direct Replacement
In an attempt to mitigate customer frustration, Amazon is offering a discount on its high-end Fire TV Cube streaming box. However, this presents a dilemma for users, as the Cube does not include an infrared blaster, meaning it cannot directly control other non-smart devices in the same way.
The only other option provided is for customers to post their soon-to-be-defunct Blaster back to Amazon for recycling. The device was never a runaway success, holding a modest 3.8-star rating from 3,600 reviews on its own site, with many users criticising its complex setup and clunky voice commands.
A Wider Crackdown on Fire TV Ecosystem
The phasing out of the Blaster coincides with a broader clampdown by Amazon on the misuse of its streaming hardware. The company is intensifying efforts to tackle 'dodgy' or 'modded' Fire TV Sticks used to illegally stream paid content.
A recent YouGov poll suggested 1.5 million UK adults have used such jailbroken devices in the past six months. Amazon is now collaborating with anti-piracy groups and police, who have conducted raids. Users of illicit apps are being served with warnings, which will soon be replaced by permanent blocking pop-ups.
This twin approach signals a firmer stance from Amazon: ending support for underperforming official hardware while aggressively targeting unofficial modifications that undermine content partners.
