· Firestick.io Team · News · 12 min read
Walmart is Building a 4K Onn Google TV Stick For The First Time
Walmart's Onn lineup is about to get a stick-form upgrade — and if it delivers 4K Google TV at Onn's usual price point, it could be the best Firestick alternative on the market.
Walmart has been quietly chipping away at Amazon’s streaming device dominance for years — and if recent FCC filings are any indication, they’re about to make their most aggressive move yet. A 4K Onn Google TV stick is reportedly in development, which would be the first time Walmart’s Onn brand moves from box-form streamers into stick territory.
I’ve been running an Onn 4K Pro as my daily driver for the past several months, and I can tell you firsthand: if Walmart sticks a Google TV stick in every checkout aisle at a $25-30 price point, Amazon has a real problem. Here’s everything we know about the rumored device — and why the current Onn lineup is already worth a hard look if you’re tired of what Fire TV has become.
A 4K Onn Google TV stick is reportedly in development at Walmart, based on FCC filings — but no release date or confirmed specs exist yet as of March 2026. In the meantime, the Onn 4K Pro ($45–$50) is the best Firestick alternative right now: faster, cheaper than the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, with Ethernet, 32GB storage, and full Android sideloading. If you can’t wait, that’s the one to grab.
What We Actually Know About the Onn Google TV Stick
Let’s be precise about what’s confirmed versus what’s rumor — because the streaming device space is full of speculation that never ships.
What’s confirmed: FCC filings surfaced a new Onn device with an HD stick form factor. Specs from those filings point to 1080p output, 8GB storage, 1GB RAM, and Wi-Fi 5. That’s not a 4K powerhouse — it reads more like an entry-level stick for casual cord-cutters who want Google TV without the box.
What’s rumored: A second, higher-tier Onn stick running 4K. This interpretation comes mostly from the unusually low stock of the current Onn 4K Pro — a pattern Walmart has used before when a sequel is incoming. The current Pro model recently dropped to around $45, which is a clearance-style signal.
What’s not confirmed at all: A specific launch date, 4K specs for any confirmed stick model, or pricing. Anyone telling you otherwise is working from the same FCC tea-leaf reading everyone else is.
The broader picture here is that Walmart has methodically built out its Onn Google TV lineup — the 4K Box, the 4K Plus, the 4K Pro — and each generation has been better hardware at a lower price than whatever Amazon was selling that year. A stick would fill the one form-factor gap they’ve left open.
The Current Onn Lineup (While You Wait)
Before we get into what’s coming, it’s worth understanding what’s already on shelves. The Onn lineup is three devices deep, and all of them run native Google TV — not a skinned Android fork, not a walled-garden OS like Fire OS. That matters more than the spec sheet.
Onn 4K Pro — The One to Get Right Now
Onn 4K Pro
- 32GB storage and 3GB RAM — doubles what most Firesticks offer
- Built-in Ethernet port — up to 180Mbps wired, no dongle required
- Wi-Fi 6 for fast wireless when Ethernet isn’t an option
- Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos — full HDR stack out of the box
- Sideload any Android app via Downloader without jumping through hoops
I’ve been running the Onn 4K Pro on a 500 Mbps fiber connection wired via Ethernet for months. It loads apps faster than my old Fire TV Stick 4K Max, handles 4K HDR without dropping frames, and the Downloader-based sideloading is dramatically less painful than what Amazon currently allows on new Fire TV hardware. The hands-free Google Assistant and Gemini integration is a nice bonus, though the “Find My Remote” feature — which makes the remote chirp when lost — is genuinely the feature I use most embarrassingly often.
✓ Pros
- 32GB storage means no constant 'storage full' warnings — I've had Kodi, Stremio, TiviMate, and a dozen streaming apps installed simultaneously without issue
- Ethernet port built in — no hunting for a USB Ethernet adapter like you do with Firestick
- Full Android sideloading via Downloader: any APK, no restrictions
- Google TV means you get a unified content library across Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and Prime Video in one interface
- Significantly cheaper than Fire TV Stick 4K Max at nearly the same spec level
✕ Cons
- Box form factor — if you need a stick for a tightly mounted TV, this is awkward
- Recent recall on some units (check Walmart's returns page for your serial number)
- Low stock currently — could go out of stock before a sequel ships
Onn 4K Plus — The Middle Ground
At $30–$40, the Onn 4K Plus hits most of the same notes as the Pro: 4K UHD, Dolby Vision/Atmos, and Wi-Fi 6. You drop to 16GB storage and 2GB RAM, and lose the Ethernet port. For casual streaming without heavy sideloading, it’s exceptional value. For power users running Kodi builds or multiple IPTV apps, the storage ceiling gets annoying quickly.
Onn 4K Box (2023/Updated) — Budget Pick
The base 4K Box at $20–$25 is the cheapest way to get Google TV and Dolby Vision on a TV. It has 8GB storage, 2GB RAM, USB 3.0, and HDR10+ support. It’s not going to run Kodi smoothly, but for someone who just wants Netflix and YouTube without a Fire TV account, it’s hard to argue against.
Onn vs. Firestick: How They Actually Compare
Quick comparison before we dive in:
| Device | Price | Storage/RAM | Ethernet | Sideloading | OS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 Onn 4K Pro | $45–$50 | 32GB / 3GB | Yes | Full Android | Google TV |
| Onn 4K Plus | $30–$40 | 16GB / 2GB | No | Full Android | Google TV |
| Amazon Ecosystem Fire TV Stick 4K Max | ~$60 | 16GB / 2GB (est.) | No | Restricted (new models) | Fire OS |
| Google TV Streamer | $100 | 32GB / 4GB | No | Full Android | Google TV |
| Roku Ultra | ~$100 | N/A | Yes | No | Roku OS |
The Onn Pro costs less than the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and outspecs it on storage, RAM, and Ethernet. That’s the entire argument in one row.
The bigger issue for Firestick users is Amazon’s ongoing restriction of sideloading and third-party app installation on newer Fire TV hardware. The Fire TV Stick 4K Select ships with Vega OS rather than Android — meaning apps like Kodi, Stremio, and third-party IPTV players that require sideloading simply don’t work the same way. On any Onn device, you install the Downloader app and sideload exactly like you always have.
Get Surfshark VPN — 86% Off
→Why a 4K Onn Stick Would Actually Matter
The box form factor is the one legitimate criticism of Onn’s lineup. Firesticks and Roku sticks disappear behind TVs — you plug them into HDMI, tuck the cord, and forget they’re there. A box requires a shelf, a cable run, and something to sit on. For a lot of people in apartments or with wall-mounted TVs, that’s a real inconvenience.
A 4K Onn stick at $30–$35 with Google TV would eliminate that objection entirely. You’d get the sideloading freedom and Google TV interface of the current Onn lineup in the same form factor as the Firestick. That’s the product that would genuinely compete with Amazon at checkout.
The FCC-filed HD stick (1080p, Wi-Fi 5) is interesting, but it’s not the move that shakes the market. A 4K variant with Wi-Fi 6 — even without Ethernet — would be.
How to Switch from Firestick to Onn (It Takes About 5 Minutes)
The Onn devices are standalone hardware — you’re not installing anything on your Firestick, you’re replacing it. The process is faster than setting up a new Firestick:
Switch from Firestick to an Onn Google TV Device
5 stepsUnplug Your Firestick
Pull the Firestick from your TV’s HDMI port. If you want to keep it as a backup, store it somewhere safe — but you won’t need it once the Onn is set up.
Connect the Onn Device
Plug the Onn into an available HDMI port. Use the included AC adapter (not a USB port on the TV — the Onn Pro draws more power than TV USB ports typically provide). If you have the Onn 4K Pro, connect an Ethernet cable for best performance.
Pair the Remote and Complete Initial Setup
Follow the on-screen setup: pair the included remote, select your Wi-Fi network (or skip if using Ethernet), and sign in with your Google account. The Google TV setup pulls in your existing app subscriptions automatically.
Install Your Apps
Search the Google Play Store for your streaming apps — Netflix, Tubi, Plex, and most major services are available natively. For apps that require sideloading, install Downloader first.
Enable Google Assistant or Gemini (Onn 4K Pro Only)
On the Pro, hold the microphone button on the remote to activate hands-free Google Assistant or Gemini AI features. Say “show me 4K movies on Netflix” to test it — it actually works.
The Bigger Picture: Google TV vs. Fire OS in 2026
Amazon’s trajectory with Fire TV has been frustrating to watch. The new Vega OS on the Fire TV Stick 4K Select locks down sideloading in ways the older Fire OS never did. They’ve blocked piracy app installation at the system level. The home screen is increasingly ads-first rather than content-first.
Google TV isn’t perfect — it has its own data collection and its own bloat — but the Android foundation means you can install what you want, run what you want, and not wait for Amazon to approve it. That’s why the Onn lineup has been quietly eating Firestick’s lunch on value-per-dollar for the last two years.
For deep dives on getting more from your current Firestick or any Google TV device, check out our guide to sideloading apps on Firestick, the full Firestick vs. Roku vs. Chromecast comparison, and our Firestick security and privacy guide — most of the VPN and privacy advice applies directly to Onn devices too.
What to Watch For
Here’s the short version of what I’m watching on the Onn stick front:
- FCC filing confirmation — The HD stick filing is real. A 4K variant would need its own FCC clearance, which hasn’t surfaced yet as of this writing.
- Onn 4K Pro stock levels — When Walmart clears out the Pro inventory at discount, the sequel is close. We’ll update this article as soon as a launch date surfaces.
- Potential specs on the sequel — Rumors point to an Onn 4K Pro 2 with a built-in speaker, updated Gemini integration, and possibly the first Onn stick. That would be a meaningful upgrade over the current box.
We’ll update this piece the moment confirmed specs or a launch announcement drops.
If you’re ready to ditch Fire TV entirely and want a premium streaming alternative, Unify IPTV paired with an Onn device is one of the cleanest setups I’ve run. 800+ free live channels are already baked into Google TV — Unify adds the premium layer on top.
Try Unify IPTV — Live TV on Your Onn or Firestick
→See Our Full VPN Recommendations for Streaming
→This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission when you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you.
Last updated: March 2026