Amazon is reportedly working on a new DVR device with physical storage that would connect to Fire TV boxes and record live TV for future viewing.
The digital video recorder, called “Frank” as of now, could potentially eat into TiVo’s market share, Bloomberg reported, citing an unnamed source familiar with the plans.
The device underdevelopment has wireless technology embedded in Amazon’s Echo smart speakers and would also be able to stream recorded shows to smartphones and connected devices to watch later, according to the report.
It hasn’t been reported how the new DVR would be priced and if it would be included as part of an Amazon Prime subscription.
It is also unclear whether Amazon’s DVR will offer support for both over-the-air channels and live TV content from its Amazon Channels and OTT apps.
Although TiVo’s stock took a hit on the news Friday, the company has previously said it’s transitioning away from the hardware business, and retail hardware sales are expected to be taken over by a new third-party vendor later this year, with TiVo providing software and services.
In a Monday research note, Cowen and Company analysts said adding live TV recording is likely to increase the appeal of Fire TV for cord-cutters, but could require a license.
“We believe that a ‘Fire DVR’ service with similar capability (channel guide, etc.) would likely need a license from TiVo, as well as a source for live TV metadata,” the analysts wrote.