Upgrades don’t always mean price hikes, as Amazon proved today by announcing that the Fire TV Stick will ship with the latest version of its Alexa Voice Remote at no additional cost. Launched last fall, the Alexa Voice Remote features Bluetooth and infrared support, which allows is to communicate with televisions, sound bars, A/V receivers, and more. And starting on January 23rd, it will come included with the Fire TV Stick for $39.99.
If you’ve been holding off on buying a Fire TV Stick, but want one now that the upgraded voice remote is part of the package, you can preorder the streaming stick from Amazon right now and receive it on January 23rd. And if 4K is a priority, you can pick up a Fire TV Stick 4K from Amazon for just $10 more.
In addition to including the Alexa Voice Remote as part of the standard Fire TV Stick package, Amazon is also putting the standalone remote on sale for half off for a limited time. If you already own a new Fire TV Stick and just need the remote, you can grab one for $14.99, but it’s not clear how long this sale will last.
“Not compatible with Amazon Fire TV (1st and 2nd Gen), Fire TV Stick (1st Gen), or Amazon Fire TV Edition smart TVs,” Amazon notes via the product description. “If you own Amazon Fire TV (1st and 2nd Gen) or Fire TV Stick (1st Gen), please use the 1st Gen Alexa Voice Remote. While the Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Gen) is compatible with many popular TVs, sound bars, and A/V receivers, it is not compatible with all brands or models.”