Amazon to fix Fire TV bug that blocked app sideloading

Amazon has confirmed that a software bug in a recent Fire TV Settings update inadvertently blocked the ability to sideload third-party apps on some older devices. The company stated the issue was unintentional and announced an automatic fix will roll out to affected hardware over the coming week. The problem, which first emerged in August, prevented users from granting permission to install unknown apps, effectively disabling sideloading for services like the popular Downloader app. This led to speculation among users that Amazon was intentionally removing the feature to combat piracy or push its own services. In a statement provided to AFTV News, Amazon said, "There was a bug in a recent Fire TV Settings update that caused the Install unknown apps list to appear incomplete or empty on some Fire TV devices. We have identified the cause and a fix will roll out in an upcoming Fire TV Settings update, installed automatically on affected devices over the coming week." The bug specifically impacted older Fire TV devices running the Android-based Fire OS. It did not affect newer models that operate on Amazon's proprietary, Linux-based Vega OS.