Here's why Amazon wants Alexa to control your TV

• Amazon announced a slew of TV-related moves at CES on Monday

• TV is a big piece in dominating the smart home economy

• It’s also a large part of Amazon’s 2014 vision for voice-controlled retail

Samsung and LG spent much of CES 2020, an annual tech conference, unveiling larger-than-life televisions — Samsung’s 4K Sero is essentially a life-size smartphone, rotating between vertical and horizontal configurations. Some roll into built-in sound bars and others are borderless to offer a sleek, low profile.

But it’s not a coincidence LG announced Monday it will start using Amazon’s Fire TV operating system, which can be controlled through Alexa, or that Samsung’s SmartThings app can connect your TV to your Amazon Echo.

Amazon is vying for the majority share of TV operating systems as big tech companies race to own the smart home microeconomy. On Monday, Amazon announced its partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automotive and BMW to bring Fire TVs on the road. It’s working with Verizon and India’s Tata internet service provider to bundle Fire TV devices into existing provider packages.

Amazon often sells heavily discounted smart home bundles, including its line of Echo products with Philips Hue Smart Bulbs, Ring Cameras and Disney+ streaming services. That tactic proved useful — It took four years to sell 100 million Alexa-powered devices, but on Monday, the tech giant announced it doubled that number in one year.

But Amazon’s heavy investment into TV isn’t just so it can establish Alexa into smart homes and control the market. When Alexa was first rolled out in 2014, Amazon envisioned it as the perfect device for users to shop Amazon hands-free — consumers could repurchase paper towels, or ask what the best-selling digital camera is. During Amazon’s re:MARS 2019 event, Rohit Prasad, Vice President for Alexa, said he was accommodating regional languages as Alexa’s ecommerce capabilities hit India.

But Business Insider reported while voice shopping grew in 2018, it still amounted to only 0.4% of e-commerce sales. A 2018 Voicebot survey said the majority of users still preferred the visual experience of shopping, even online. Enter Amazon’s announcement at CES on Monday that it wants to implement Alexa-powered Fire TV into more screens.

Already, Amazon has 40 million Fire TV customers, outranking Roku and getting one step closer to dominating the smart home.