Amazon’s newest “Fire TV Stick 4K Select” has a problem – if you rely on a VPN for streaming, you’ll be waiting a while before you can actually use one.
Cord Busters can confirm that popular VPN services like NordVPN won’t be available on the new device at launch, with Amazon only promising VPN support “soon” via a future software update.
For the many people who use VPNs – whether to access content from other countries (such as American Netflix in the UK) or simply to protect their privacy whilst streaming – this is a disappointing start for “Amazon’s most affordable 4K streaming stick.”
What Is the Fire TV Stick 4K Select?
The Fire TV Stick 4K Select launched last week at £49.99, positioning itself as Amazon’s most affordable 4K streaming device.
It delivers 4K streaming with HDR10+ support, though it lacks some premium features found on pricier models – no Dolby Vision, only Wi-Fi 5 rather than Wi-Fi 6, and just 1GB of RAM compared to 2GB in the standard Fire TV Stick 4K.
But the real story here isn’t the hardware specifications – it’s what’s running underneath.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Select is the first streaming device to run on Amazon’s new Vega operating system, marking a complete departure from the Android-based Fire OS that’s powered every Fire TV device for over a decade.
Built on Linux rather than Android, Vega OS represents a fundamental architectural change. Every single app needs to be completely rewritten from scratch to work on the new platform.
Your existing Fire TV apps won’t simply work on Vega OS devices – developers need to create entirely new versions.
Amazon has been positioning Vega OS as a more efficient platform that allows for cheaper devices with better performance. But this efficiency comes with some significant trade-offs, particularly during the launch period when the app ecosystem is still being built.
And VPN apps are one of the casualties – at least for now.
What NordVPN and Amazon Told Us
We reached out to both NordVPN – one of the leading VPN providers – and Amazon to clarify when VPN apps would be available on the new device.
A NordVPN spokesperson confirmed to Cord Busters: “At initial retail availability, the new Fire TV 4K Select running Vega OS won’t support VPN apps, so NordVPN won’t be available in the App Store on day one.
“Amazon plans to enable VPN protocols via a software update in late October. Our app is ready, and we’ll make it available in the Amazon Appstore for the new Fire TV devices as soon as that update goes live.”
The promising detail here is that NordVPN has already done their work – their Vega OS app is ready and waiting. The delay is entirely on Amazon’s end, as the company needs to push a software update to enable VPN protocol support on Vega OS devices.
Amazon’s response was more vague on the timeline. An Amazon spokesperson told Cord Busters: “We are working with VPN app developers and expect to have VPN apps available on Fire TV 4K Select soon.”
Absent from that response is any specific date, so whilst VPN support is clearly coming at some point, we can’t say with certainty when that will be.
Pre-orders for the Fire TV Stick 4K Select are already open, with devices expected to ship from mid-October. But even if NordVPN’s late October estimate proves accurate, early buyers could be waiting a couple of weeks before they can actually use a VPN on their new streaming stick.
And if Amazon’s timeline slips beyond late October, that wait could be even longer.
It’s also worth noting that whilst NordVPN has been quite specific about their readiness, we don’t yet know whether other VPN providers, such as ExpressVPN, Windscribe, and others – will be ready as quickly once Amazon’s software update arrives (we reached out to both, and will update this article if they respond).
Why VPN Apps Matter for Streaming
If you don’t use a VPN for streaming, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. But VPN apps have become essential tools for many streaming device users, for two very different reasons.
First, there’s geo-blocking. Streaming services offer wildly different content libraries in different countries due to licensing agreements.
A film or TV show available on Netflix in one country might not be available in another, because the broadcasting rights belong to a different company in that region.
A VPN works by creating a secure connection between your device and a server in another country. When you connect to a VPN server in the United States, for example, streaming services think you’re actually in America – and show you the American content library instead of the UK one.
This is particularly useful for accessing American Netflix from the UK, where the US catalogue consistently offers different films and TV shows than what’s available here.
But it’s not just about Netflix – many streaming services are geo-restricted. Some US services aren’t officially available in the UK at all, whilst others offer different content depending on where you’re located.
Now, it’s important to note that bypassing geo-restrictions is against most streaming services’ terms of service – though it’s not actually illegal, and services generally haven’t been known to ban accounts for doing it.
They do actively try to block VPN connections, which is why only certain VPN providers still work reliably with major streaming platforms.
For years, Fire TV devices have been one of the easiest ways to watch geo-blocked content on your television, because all the major VPN providers offer dedicated Fire TV apps.
Second, there’s privacy and security. VPNs encrypt your internet connection and mask your IP address, preventing your broadband provider from seeing everything you’re watching and protecting your data when you’re on public WiFi networks (for example, if you’re using your own Firestick in a hotel).
Some people use VPNs full-time for all their internet activity, not just for accessing geo-blocked content. It’s about maintaining privacy in an age where internet service providers can track and potentially sell information about your browsing habits.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Select’s lack of VPN support at launch means anyone who depends on these services for either geo-unblocking or privacy will need to either wait for the promised software update or stick with one of Amazon’s older, Android-based Fire TV devices.
Understanding Vega OS and Its Limitations
Amazon’s previous Fire TV devices all ran Fire OS, which was built on top of Android. This meant that apps developed for Android devices could be relatively easily adapted for Fire TV – developers were working with familiar tools and frameworks.
Vega OS throws all of that out. Built directly on Linux instead of Android, it requires developers to start from scratch.
The code they wrote for Android-based Fire TV apps simply won’t work on Vega OS. Every app needs to be completely rebuilt using different tools and frameworks.
This is why Amazon has been working closely with major streaming services to ensure apps like Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and Channel 4 are all available from day one.
These are the essential apps that most Fire TV users depend on, so Amazon prioritised getting them ready for launch.
But not every app made the cut for launch day. VPN apps are one category that’s been delayed – and they’re not the only ones.
Amazon’s spokesperson also told us that “Fire TV 4K Select’s storage is optimised for apps and app data, and doesn’t support downloading, storing and managing media files locally using a File manager app.”
File manager apps – like Downloader or ES File Explorer – are tools that let you browse files on your device and download content from the internet.
On Android-based Fire TV devices, they’ve been commonly used for legitimate purposes like managing media files or installing apps that aren’t available in the Amazon Appstore – also known as Sideloading.
However, sideloading has also been central to the illegal IPTV industry, where modified “dodgy” Fire TV Sticks were loaded with pirated streaming apps.
The inability to use file managers and sideloading on Vega OS is part of a broader shift towards a more locked-down ecosystem – similar to how Roku operates.
Amazon has created what’s essentially a walled garden, where only apps approved by Amazon and distributed through the Amazon Appstore can run on the device.
This approach offers better security and makes piracy considerably more difficult, but it also means less flexibility for users who want to customise their devices or use niche applications.
How Other Streaming Devices Handle VPNs
The Fire TV Stick 4K Select’s lack of VPN support at launch puts it in an interesting position compared to its competitors – and compared to Amazon’s own older devices.
Roku devices have never supported VPN apps. This has long been one of the platform’s most significant limitations for anyone wanting to access geo-blocked content.
Roku’s streaming sticks are excellent devices in many ways – they’re affordable, reliable, and have a clean, straightforward interface. But if you need a VPN on your telly, they’ve simply never been an option.
The only workaround with Roku is to configure your entire home router to use a VPN, which is considerably more complicated. Plus, routing all your home internet traffic through a VPN affects every device on your network, not just your streaming stick.
Google TV devices and Chromecasts do support VPN apps. You can install NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and other major providers directly from the Google Play Store on devices like the Chromecast with Google TV.
Apple TV also supports VPN apps. The tvOS App Store includes all the major VPN providers, and setting them up is relatively simple for anyone already in Apple’s ecosystem.
Apple TV devices are considerably more expensive than Fire TV Sticks, though, but VPN functionality is built right in.
And of course, Amazon’s own older Fire TV devices all support VPN apps. The Android-based Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max both have VPN apps available in the Amazon Appstore, and they work brilliantly.
Should You Still Buy the Fire TV Stick 4K Select?
If you don’t use VPNs for streaming, this limitation probably won’t affect you at all. The Fire TV Stick 4K Select will still access all the usual UK streaming services – BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, Channel 5, NOW, Netflix, Disney+, and so on – without any issues whatsoever.
But if you do rely on VPNs, either for accessing geo-blocked content or for privacy reasons, you’ve got a decision to make.
Plus, we still don’t know what other important apps and services will be missing from the new Select stick at launch – we’ll find that out next week, when it arrives.
Meanwhile, the Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max are both offered at a significant discount, until October 14 – so at those prices, it’s kind of a no-brainer.
Both of these devices will continue running Android-based Fire OS for the foreseeable future – Amazon has explicitly confirmed they’ll keep receiving updates, and the company has stated they plan to release new Fire TV devices running Android in the future.
For more TV and streaming news, Subscribe to our free newsletter.