In November 2014, Amazon unveiled the first generation of what would become a powerful line of media streaming devices called Fire TV Sticks. And with the latest numbers suggesting that worldwide online streaming is the preferred method for viewing shows, movies, sports, and events, devices such as Amazon’s Fire Stick are not only popular, but they’re in high demand.
But how popular is the Fire Stick? Moreover, how does it compare to similar streaming devices? Our list of the latest Fire Stick stats and facts will give you all the answers you seek and more. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Fire Stick Stats 101
- More than 150 million Fire TV devices have been sold worldwide.
- Amazon has released five different versions of the Fire Stick so far.
- There are nearly 70 million users connected to Amazon’s Fire TV.
- Fire TV OS owns 6.4% of the global market.
Fire Stick Facts & Stats
1. More than 150 million Fire TV devices have been sold worldwide.
In a world where more and more people are ditching traditional television for online streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, it’s no surprise that Fire TV has become an international hit. The device recently passed 150 million units shipped worldwide! Plus, on last year’s Black Friday, Fire TV Sticks were Amazon’s #1 selling product. Moreover, the company recently announced they’d signed deals with Ford Motor CO. and BMW, who plan on bringing Fire TV to their car entertainment system capabilities which means numbers are likely to grow in the future.
2. Amazon has released five different versions of the Fire Stick so far.
And there are speculations a sixth one might be released towards the end of 2022. But since there are no official announcements, Fire Stick facts we can discuss at present are that since 2014 when Amazon launched Fire TV and the media streaming devices that go with it, the company has been continuously developing and releasing new devices with improved functionalities. So far, Amazon has launched five different versions of this device, with the 4K Max featuring 4K Ultra HD support, Wi-Fi 6 support, and Dolby Vision being the latest addition to the family.
3. The 2018 Fire TV Stick 4K is the most popular of all.
Thanks to Prime Day sales, a major turn happened with Fire TV Sticks purchases in 2021. Namely, Fire Stick stats indicate that although in March 2021, the 2nd gen Fire TV Stick had reached a peak of over 40% in purchases compared to its “siblings”, by June, it had experienced a significant decline. This drop was triggered by the ongoing Prime sales, which paved the way for the more advanced Fire TV Stick 4K to take over the throne. Ultimately, by the end of the second half of 2021, the 4K had acquired more than 30% of the market share, leaving the former king in the second position with a little over 20%.
4. There are nearly 70 million users connected to Amazon’s Fire TV.
Although Smart TVs currently dominate the US market, Fire Stick TV stats show that for a total of 69.7 million American TV users, Amazon’s streaming devices are the preferred choice. Data further shows a considerable jump in Amazon Fire TV usage from back in 2018 when it had around 48.6 million users. And while Amazon may be losing the battle of Fire Stick vs Smart TV, it is still ahead of both Google Chromecast and Apple TV, which have respectively reported 33.7 million and 26.7 million connected TV users.
5. Amazon Fire TV is set to hit 118.6 million users by 2025.
Amazon Fire Stick TV stats show that by the end of 2021, their market penetration was nearly 45% which, compared to Roku devices, comes pretty close but not good enough. At the end of 2021, Roku accounted for 51.7% of CTV users. Projections, however, indicate that the number of Amazon CTV users will continue to grow and is expected to reach a solid 118.9 million by the end of 2025.
6. Fire TV OS owns 6.4% of the global market.
With 12.7%, the Linux-based Tizen currently holds the largest portion of the smart TV streaming device market, while its brother WebOS ranks second with 7.3%. Ranked third, as per the latest Fire Stick TV stats, are Fire OS, Roku TV OS, and Sony PlayStation, each of which has 6.4% of the market pie. Data further shows Android TV with 5.9%, Microsoft Xbox with 3.7%, and Google’s Chromecast with 3.1% of the global market share.
Learn more: Android TV Statistics
7. To stream good quality video, the Fire TV Stick requires an average of 900MB per hour.
If you want to watch video that is of somewhat standard quality, you would require 900 MB of data per hour. Otherwise, for best-quality video for at least 4hrs per day, your Fire Stick data usage would go over 360GB. And since we are discussing Fire Stick facts and stats, one way to figure out how much data you’ll spend or need per month is to multiply the total streaming hours by 30 and divide it by 1000 (to convert them to GB). Similarly, if you’re not happy with the outcome and are wondering how to reduce Fire Stick data usage, you have three options. You can: reduce video quality, turn off video autoplay, or disable interest-based ads.
8. Amazon Fire Stick provides access to nearly 16,000 apps.
As per official Fire Stick TV stats, the platform currently offers an incredible number of 15,885 apps, with more being added every day. In fact, data says the number of apps being added to the platform on a daily basis totals eight. And while this number may not seem like much compared to Play Store or other app stores, Amazon’s Fire TV platform is a more than a reputable place for many app developers to promote their latest products.
9. Nearly 30% of US households with Wi-Fi own one or several Amazon prime devices.
While it’s true that Amazon’s Fire TV devices may not be the most used on the market, Fire Stick stats suggest that when it comes to American households with access to Wi-Fi, a solid 28.9% own a Fire TV Stick or streaming box. What’s more, at the end of February 2022, a total of 27.8% owned Echo, and another 21.2% declared they own a Fire tablet. What this data actually indicates is that Amazon streaming devices have managed to penetrate nearly one-third of US households.
10. 50% of Fire TV users watch it daily.
The results of a survey conducted by Statista set to determine how often users connect to their Fire TV showed that a total of 50% do so every day. Whether it’s via box or Fire Stick, facts and statistics indicate that 33% of users watch video-on-demand content a few times a week, 6% only once a week, and 5% do it only two to three times each month. The rest watch Fire TV once a month or every other month, which does not necessarily mean they don’t watch any TV, just that they’re not doing it on Amazon’s Fire TV.
11. 88.7% of apps available on Fire TV are free.
Access to free content is always appreciated, especially when it comes to streaming devices and apps. Fire Stick TV stats show that of the total apps available on Fire TV, only 1,807 or 11.3% come with a price tag, the rest are completely free. Moreover, of the 153 categories of apps available via the Fire Stick or any other device from this platform, the Games category has the highest number of paid apps amounting to 485, followed by Lifestyle apps, 163 of which require users to pay a fee.
Conclusion
As you can see, Amazon Fire TV is a streaming powerhouse with a ton of users, thousands of apps and content, and great potential to continue growing. It’s also a top contender for smart TVs and other similar devices on the market. And taking into account all the Fire Stick stats and facts we’ve listed above, it’s safe to say that this platform is yet to bring many surprises and reach new heights.
Sources: Variety, Techozu, Statista, Statista, AFTVnews, eMarketer, Brainy Housing, 42matters, eMarketer, Statista
