Amazon fixes ‘most annoying’ Fire TV Stick problem after fans blasted ‘terrible’ design – but there’s catch if it solved
AMAZON has resolved the “most annoying” Fire TV Stick problem after years of complaints – but there’s a catch.
The retailer has released a new Alexa Voice Remote for Fire TV, which allows users to speak to their streaming devices.
The latest remote is nearly identical to the previous edition that dropped in 2021, save for less beveled edges.
But its release seemingly addresses a common gripe – the loose battery door.
The device now sports a large latch in the top center of the door, rather than tiny ones on the side that quickly weakened.
The batteries are also stacked horizontally, rather than vertically, resulting in a smaller battery door overall.
The old design was lambasted by users in Reddit threads dating back half a decade.
“Have I just been unlucky and picked up a bad one, or do most of these sticks have a very loose-fitting back cover?” one user lamented in a thread from three years ago.
“It’s only a couple of months old, I haven’t needed to change the battery yet, and yet the cover seems to dislodge every time I use it.”
Another user deemed the wash of complaints “Remotegate.”
“I got a new stick during Black Friday sales and the remote battery cover is so loose that the grip to allow me to push a button is enough to slide the battery cover off,” the Redditor wrote.
“I thought I was stupid or there is some trick to the battery cover, but sounds like bad design or factory quality control or both.”
Other users noted that the loose battery cover appeared to be a “common issue” and proposed solutions.
“I bought a cheap silicone sleeve for it because I could imagine taking one tumble to the floor and breaking,” one user remarked.
Others suggested sliding a sliver of paper or piece of tape under the case to hold it in place.
While the updated device is certainly a development, there are a few drawbacks.
For starters, it is only compatible with a limited number of devices.
The new remote is listed to work with all recent Fire TVs since the 1st-gen Fire TV Stick 4K and 1st-gen Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
However, the lineup excludes the Fire TV Stick 2nd-gen, Fire TV 3rd-gen, and Fire TV Cube 1st-gen.
Perhaps the biggest disclaimer is that the remote is only sold alongside the Fire Stick 4K TV.
As Amazon has yet to release it on its own, there is currently no way to purchase it other than buying the bundle.
The product page for the normal Fire TV Stick still shows the old remote – though experts take this as a sign of an impending new model release.
Where to buy an Amazon Fire TV Stick
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AMAZON unveiled the first Fire TV Stick back in 2014 and since then has released various versions, the newest being the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
There are several places you can pick up a Fire Stick including:
- Shop Fire Sticks at Amazon – shop here
- Shop Fire Sticks at Best Buy – shop here
- Shop Fire Sticks at Target – shop here
- Shop Fire Sticks at Home Depot – shop here
- Shop Fire Sticks at Lowe’s – shop here
We recommend shopping around for the best price, though Amazon usually has the best deals on Fire Sticks so should be your first port of call.
- Fire Stick 4K TV with Alexa Voice Remote at Amazon for $24.99 – buy here
All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed.
Always do your own research before making any purchase.