Amazon Instant Video for iOS adds support for Apple's AirPlay [u]

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
Amazon on Tuesday updated its Instant Video application for Apple's iOS with a number of new features, most notably supporting the AirPlay standard for wireless streaming to an Apple TV set-top box [updated].

Instant


The official Amazon Instant Video app allows customers who buy video content from the online retailer to view movies and television episodes. It also enables Amazon customers access more than 150,000 videos available for rent or purchase.

In addition, more than 40,000 titles are available to Amazon Prime subscribers at no additional cost.

Version 2.1 of Amazon Instant Video adds the ability AirPlay stream content to Apple TV. Other features included in the update are:
  • IMDB cast and director information, ratings, goofs, trivia and quotes
  • Read customer reviews
  • Find other videos featuring cast or director
  • Customers who watched this also watched?
  • Concurrent downloads
  • Improved offline experience
  • Faster and more responsive interface
  • Bug fixes and stability improvements
With Amazon Instant Video, purchased or rented videos can be downloaded for offline viewing. Content is also synced through Amazon's Whispersync feature, allowing users to pick up where they left off on another device.

Amazon Instant Video first debuted on Apple's iPad in August of 2012, when Prime subscribers had access to just 20,000 titles ? half of what is available today. Support for the iPhone and iPod touch eventually came last December.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 28
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    Nice work-around as Apple simply won't give us an Amazon ATV app. :no:
  • Reply 2 of 28
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by pazuzu View Post



    Nice work-around as Apple simply won't give us an Amazon ATV app. image

     

     

    What makes you so positive that this is an Apple decision?

  • Reply 3 of 28
    wovelwovel Posts: 956member
    pazuzu wrote: »
    Nice work-around as Apple simply won't give us an Amazon ATV app. :no:

    HBO Made the same change a couple of months before their Apple TV App came out.
  • Reply 4 of 28
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by enquiry View Post

     

     

     

    What makes you so positive that this is an Apple decision?


     

    Why would Amazon say no? They already have iPhone and iPad apps. Being on Apple TV would be a boon for Amazon, not a hindrance. 

  • Reply 5 of 28
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    mazda 3s wrote: »
    Why would Amazon say no? They already have iPhone and iPad apps. Being on Apple TV would be a boon for Amazon, not a hindrance. 

    He's ignoring the obvious. Don't feed. Mustn't.

    And not for nothing Amazon is on virtually every other home theater device beit Blu-ray player or gaming device, A/V receiver, etc.
  • Reply 6 of 28
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    wovel wrote: »
    HBO Made the same change a couple of months before their Apple TV App came out.

    HBO doesn't directly compete with Apple and you need a existing cable contract for it to work in the first place.
  • Reply 7 of 28
    wovelwovel Posts: 956member
    pazuzu wrote: »
    wovel wrote: »
    HBO Made the same change a couple of months before their Apple TV App came out.

    HBO doesn't directly compete with Apple and you need a existing cable contract for it to work in the first place.

    There has always been a Netflix App on Apple TV. That logic makes no sense.
  • Reply 8 of 28
    Still no support for mirroring. It must just allow purchased movies.
  • Reply 9 of 28
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by pazuzu View Post



    Nice work-around as Apple simply won't give us an Amazon ATV app. image

     

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by enquiry View Post

     

     

     

    What makes you so positive that this is an Apple decision?


     

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Wovel View Post





    HBO Made the same change a couple of months before their Apple TV App came out.

     

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by pazuzu View Post





    HBO doesn't directly compete with Apple and you need a existing cable contract for it to work in the first place.

     

    True that HBO doesn't directly compete, but Hulu Plus did the same thing, started by adding AirPlay and then a few months later were on the Apple TV. Same for Vimeo.

     


    I can understand that Amazon is a bit of a different beast. Netflix/Hulu Plus/HBO Go are all-you-can-stream services for one monthly fee. Amazon Instant has that a la carte aspect, which would be odd seeing be made available on the Apple TV. Perhaps no option to rent/purchase from the Apple TV app, adding an extra hoop to jump through (same as the iOS apps). But anything in your library, or anything available for Prime, would play.


     


    In any event, if implemented properly (allowing multitasking when streaming) - AirPlay is a very serviceable option. If done poorly (need to keep the app open in order to keep content streaming) - then it is a less than ideal solution.


     


    Anyone try it yet?
  • Reply 10 of 28
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wovel View Post





    There has always been a Netflix App on Apple TV. That logic makes no sense.

     

    Does Netflix or Hulu have an App Store, sell hardware(Kindle Fire), sell movies, music etc, etc, etc????

  • Reply 11 of 28
    pazuzu wrote: »
    Does Netflix or Hulu have an App Store, sell hardware(Kindle Fire), sell movies, music etc, etc, etc????

    The Roku is actually a Netflix made device.
  • Reply 12 of 28
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post





    The Roku is actually a Netflix made device.

     

    Interesting but you wouldn't know it buy going to Roku.com. I see it was the first device made to stream Netflix but not Netflix made. Nowhere is it mentioned. Beside the Roku runs Amazon Instant video.

  • Reply 13 of 28
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post

     

     

    Why would Amazon say no? They already have iPhone and iPad apps. Being on Apple TV would be a boon for Amazon, not a hindrance. 


     

    Why didn't Amazon put AirPlay support into the iOS app from the get-go? If Apple "allowed" the iOS app, why wouldn't they allow the AppleTV app?

     


    I have no idea how the development of AppleTV apps work (i.e., how one creates and submits these to Apple for inclusion). Is this published anywhere? Seems a giant mystery (but obviously those who have developed these apps must know).
  • Reply 14 of 28
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by OkayPlayer View Post

    Still no support for mirroring. It must just allow purchased movies.

     

    What are you talking about? I have been mirroring Amazon Prime for a long time. It is how I watch Under the Dome on my Apple TV. Mirroring doesn't require permission, it simply mirrors whatever is on your screen.
  • Reply 15 of 28
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    Finally! And a much better deal than Netflix!

    Look forward to an app- but this works for now. Show time and bbc- you're the last holdout!
  • Reply 16 of 28
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ndirishfan1975 View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by OkayPlayer View Post



    Still no support for mirroring. It must just allow purchased movies.

     




    What are you talking about? I have been mirroring Amazon Prime for a long time. It is how I watch Under the Dome on my Apple TV. Mirroring doesn't require permission, it simply mirrors whatever is on your screen.

     

    Are you referring to the iOS app or AirPlay mirroring from your Mac? I believe he/she was referring to the former.

  • Reply 17 of 28
    I get "Watching videos while mirroring isn't currently available with this app" before HBO was added as a app that's the same response I got with it.
  • Reply 18 of 28
    I'm rendering to the iOS app on iPad. I have a older MacBook Pro. It was not updatable for the airplay feature.
  • Reply 19 of 28

    Kind of to late for me.  I bought a Roku because the Apple TV did not offer Amazon Instant Video and I could not use Air Play from my iPad.

     

    I like the Remote/UI on the Roku so much that I will not go back to the ATV.

  • Reply 20 of 28
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post

     

     

    Why would Amazon say no? They already have iPhone and iPad apps. Being on Apple TV would be a boon for Amazon, not a hindrance. 


     

    There could be other issues at play/ For instance, perhaps it is a licensing issue. Perhaps Apple charges a fee, and Amazon does not want to pay. 

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