Amazon Fire Phone update brings KitKat, new keyboard options, and much more

The new version number for the Fire OS after this version is installed is 4.6.1. Here's what's new and improved with this update to the nearly one year old Fire Phone:

  • Support for Bluetooth Low Energy - Fire phone now supports Bluetooth Low Energy technology. To learn more, go to Connect to Bluetooth.
  • Change the wallpaper on the Home screen - You can now change the Home screen wallpaper to a different color or use your own image. To learn more, go to Change the Home Screen Wallpaper.
  • Lock screen notification improvements - View previews of new notifications on the lock screen and manage which apps can show previews on the lock screen. To learn more, go to View & Manage Notifications.
  • Additional keyboard options - Amazon's keyboard now includes color emoji. Choose from hundreds of emoji characters to make your e-mail and multimedia messages fun and personal. You can also change the default keyboard on your Fire phone with another compatible keyboard downloaded from the Amazon Appstore. To learn more, go to Customize Your Language & Keyboard.
  • Convert video clips into lenticular images and set HDR to auto - Record video clips and automatically convert them into a lenticular image to share with others or use on the lock screen. With HDR turned to auto, your phone's camera also determines whether a scene needs HDR and captures it to create a rich, detailed image. To learn more, go to Take Photos & Personal Videos.
  • Smarter calling options - Manage up to five people on a conference call, delete all previous calls in your history, and more. To learn more, go to Make & Receive Phone Calls.
  • Messaging improvements - Delete or forward multiple messages in a conversation, swipe to delete conversations in your Inbox, and modify your messaging settings with new options, such as the ability to change the text size of your messages. To learn more, go to Send, Read & Manage Messages.
  • Choose different colors for calendar events - If you have multiple e-mail accounts synced with your phone, you can assign a color for each account. When you select a new color for an account, your calendar events appear in that color. To learn more, go to General Settings for Email, Contacts, and Calendar.
  • Print from your Fire phone - You can now print personal documents, e-mails, contact details, and calendar events from your Fire phone to your compatible HP, Epson, or Canon printers. To learn more, go to Print From Your Fire Phone.
  • Enhanced enterprise features - With support for secure work Wi-Fi networks, single sign-on for corporate networks, and AES-256 bit hardware encryption, your Fire phone is ready for more work. To learn more, go to Protect Your Fire Phone with Encryption and Set Up a VPN.
  • Accessibility improvements - Easily manage your closed caption settings across the device and enjoy new Screen Reader features—such as independent volume controls and faster reading speed options—when you use the accessibility options on your Fire phone. To learn more, go to Accessibility Features.
  • Bug fixes and user interface improvements - Dozens of other bug fixes and user interface improvements.

Amazon is currently selling the unlocked version of the Fire Phone for $189 and it still comes with a free year of Amazon Prime, which is normally worth $99. There's been no word if the company will launch a successor to the phone this year.

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Source: Amazon; Thanks to mrfreeze for the tip!

John Callaham