As content continues to move between different streaming services, Google TV has become a lifeboat of sorts, making it easy to figure out what content is available for which service. Some third-party apps have since found ways to replicate this, but Amazon blocks that “guide” feature on its Fire TV platform.
Google TV’s content “guide” allows the platform to show you where movies and TV shows are available to stream or buy. In most cases, it allows those pages to be “deep linked” to other applications. For example, searching for “Office” shows a button that can directly display the Peacock application.
Last year, Plex gained similar functionality in its various apps. Like Google TV, it can find shows and movies on different services and link directly to them.
But how Tech Hive: reports that Plex’s “guide” feature, called Discover, is now blocked on Amazon Fire TV. That’s because Amazon has apparently changed its policy to block Fire TV apps from deep linking with other apps, though Amazon has yet to confirm such a change. It’s obviously a shame for users, but it’s not the only platform that blocks this kind of behavior. Roku also blocks third-party apps from deep linking with other apps, which is why Plex never launched its Discover feature there. It’s certainly a hostile move on the part of the user and a shame to see.
Amazon made a similar move to block third-party launchers over the past year, but it has also scored some wins, with a deal to allow Google’s Android TV partners to make Fire TV devices.
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