Amazon hasn't confirmed that it will launch a set-top box, but The Wall Street Journal is reporting the company will ship the device in April.
Apple has been the most successful manufacturer in the set-top box market with its Apple TV. Apple began selling the first Apple TV in 2007 and Steve Jobs referred to it as a "hobby" for the company. The device originally required a Mac or Windows computer running iTunes to stream content. Apple followed up by releasing software that freed it from needing a separate device to access streaming content. Apple TV has turned into serious business for Apple and this became clear after CEO Tim Cook, revealed in February that Apple TV brought in $1 billion in sales for Apple and that it was more difficult to call it a hobby these days.
Google has been trying to get Android-based Google TV to takeoff for years, but has not found the kind of success it has seen with its new Chromecast stick. Chromecast is a thumb-sized TV dongle that costs $35 and simply plugs right into an HDMI port and offers similar features to Apple TV.
Apple TV and Roku remain the most popular streaming set-top devices, but Amazon will reportedly enter the market and begin shipping the device as early as April, according to a new report.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Amazon will begin shipping its much-rumored video streaming device in early April. The device will look like a thumb drive and plug directly into a television, just like Chromecast. It will run a modified version of Android, similar to Amazon's Fire OS on its Kindle tablets, which will directly tie into Amazon services. It will reportedly include NetFlix, HuluPlus, Pandora radio streaming, and Amazon's video-streaming service built-in. Some rumors also claim that the device will also be able to work as an Android game console.
Pricing has not been disclosed, but sources told the publication that the device would come with incentives that are only available to members of its Amazon Prime streaming video and shipping program. The timing of this news comes just as Amazon announced it was raising the price of Amazon Prime from $79 to $99 a year.
