Amazon Sued for Allegedly Bricking Older Fire TV Sticks to Force Upgrades

Amazon is facing a class action lawsuit over claims that it deliberately killed off its older Fire TV Sticks to push customers into buying new ones.

The lawsuit was filed in California state court by plaintiff Bill Merewhuader, who alleges Amazon intentionally rendered first-generation (2014) and second-generation (2016) Fire TV Stick devices unusable by ending software support without warning. The complaint describes this as "bricking" — the devices lost their core streaming functionality even though the hardware itself was still intact.

According to the lawsuit, Amazon promoted these Fire TV Sticks as providing instant access to hundreds of thousands of movies and TV shows across major streaming platforms, and those promises were central to why people bought them. But the complaint alleges Amazon later stripped away critical software features, causing the devices to become painfully slow, difficult to navigate, or completely unusable.

The suit claims Amazon stopped providing software updates for first-generation devices in December 2022 and cut support for second-generation devices shortly after — despite allegedly representing that support would continue through 2024. Instead of offering refunds or compensation, Amazon allegedly encouraged affected customers to purchase newer models.

Merewhuader says he purchased two second-generation Fire TV Sticks in 2018 and watched their performance steadily decline over several years until the devices became effectively unusable. By 2024, he says he had no choice but to buy newer versions.

The lawsuit calls this practice "software tethering" — a manufacturer maintaining control over a device's post-sale performance through software updates, effectively shortening its useful life.

Who Could Be Eligible

The proposed class covers U.S. owners of first-generation Fire TV Sticks as of January 1, 2023, and second-generation Fire TV Sticks as of April 1, 2023. If you own a third-generation or newer device, you are not part of the proposed class based on the current complaint. The lawsuit also does not cover Fire TV Smart TVs or Fire TV Cube devices.

What Happens Next

There is no settlement yet, and no timeline for resolution has been established. The lawsuit is still in its early stages. For the case to become a functional class action where potentially thousands of consumers receive compensation, a California court must first certify the class — a process that can take months to years.

If you purchased a first- or second-generation Fire TV Stick, you don't need to do anything right now to participate. Keep any purchase records you have — Amazon order confirmations, emails, or credit card statements — as these could document your eligibility down the line.

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