According to XDA-Developers, VPN applications have finally arrived for Amazon’s new Vega OS, starting with the Fire TV Stick 4K Select. Following the device’s OS 1.1 update, major VPN providers like IPVanish and NordVPN are now available in the locked Amazon app store for that specific device. This comes several weeks after the streaming stick’s initial release, which launched with notably sparse third-party app support. Amazon has stated it is a “multi-OS company” and will continue developing both Vega OS and the older Fire OS. To get the VPN apps, users must update their Fire TV Stick 4K Select to the latest firmware via Settings. The move begins to address one of the most glaring app category omissions on the new platform.
The real story behind Vega OS
So, why did Amazon even bother creating a whole new operating system? Outwardly, they say Vega OS is less resource-intensive, which makes sense for a budget device. But let’s be real. The primary driver here is almost certainly control—specifically, curbing piracy apps. The old Fire OS, based on Android, was relatively easy to sideload apps onto. Vega OS? Not so much. It’s a walled garden, locked tight to Amazon’s own app store. That’s a huge shift. And while it might frustrate a certain segment of users, it gives Amazon and content partners much more control over what runs on their hardware. It’s a trade-off: simplicity and security for the average user, versus flexibility for the tinkerer.
What this VPN update actually means
Here’s the thing: the arrival of VPNs is a big deal, but not necessarily for the reasons you might think. Sure, some people use them for privacy. But on a streaming stick, their most common use is for geo-spoofing—accessing streaming libraries from other countries. The fact that Amazon is allowing these apps into its curated store is fascinating. It signals they are prioritizing user demand and essential app categories over strictly policing that particular use case. For now, at least. It also shows that major developers like NordVPN and IPVanish are willing to invest in building for this new, closed platform. As IPVanish’s Chief Commercial Officer said, they launched “on day one of VPN support.” That’s a vote of confidence in Vega OS’s future.
A multi-OS, messy future
Amazon calling itself a “multi-OS company” is a nice bit of corporate spin for what is essentially a fragmented, confusing situation. They now have two distinct TV platforms to maintain and developers have to support both. For users, it’s a nightmare—which apps work on which stick? I wouldn’t be surprised if Vega OS slowly becomes the standard across more devices, like the next Fire TV Stick 4K Max or even Fire TV-branded sets. The path of least resistance for Amazon is to consolidate on the OS they fully control. But that transition will be painful. App support will trickle in slowly for niche services. And developers now have to weigh the cost of supporting a second, smaller ecosystem. Basically, Amazon has traded short-term developer hassle for long-term platform control. The VPNs are just the first wave in making this walled garden feel a bit more lived-in.
