Amazon may finally cave, bring Prime Video to Apple TV this summer

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV
After years of holding out to push its own Fire TV streaming devices, Amazon may finally be ready to bring its on-demand video service to Apple TV in the form of a dedicated app, making it easier for subscribers to access Prime Video in Apple's ecosystem.




Citing people familiar with the talks, Recode reported on Friday that Amazon and Apple are close to finalizing a deal that will see Amazon bring an official app to the tvOS App Store. It's expected to arrive in the third quarter of 2017.

Until now, Apple users wanting to watch Amazon Prime Video and other streaming content have needed to rely on the company's iOS app, which includes AirPlay support. A dedicated tvOS app, however, would allow users to navigate directly from the Apple TV, and could even integrate with services like Siri.

The dispute has been a long time running. In October of 2015, Amazon even went as far as to pull the Apple TV, along with Google's Chromecast, from its online store, citing potential customer confusion over which streaming devices support Amazon Prime Video.




A year ago, Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said Prime Video would remain off of devices that compete with its own Fire TV products until an acceptable financial model could be agreed upon.

Amazon has offered its Fire TV lineup since early 2014, including a set-top box and a simple streaming stick. The Apple's tvOS platform and accompanying App Store launched in late 2015, and offers access to a plethora of streaming services, with Amazon's Prime Video being the most conspicuous absence to date.

Amazon has made a name for itself in the original content business, winning an Emmy in 2015 for its show "Transparent," starring Jeffrey Tambor. The online retailer has also expanded into film, distributing the film "Manchester by the Sea" under its Amazon Studios business last year. The Casey Affleck movie won Oscars for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 48
    pscooter63pscooter63 Posts: 1,083member
    It's about time.
    sockrolid
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  • Reply 2 of 48
    SpamSandwichspamsandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Well, that would be an improvement.  :)
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  • Reply 3 of 48
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,058member
    Great news.  Had to watch The Man in the High Castle via AirPlay, which doesn't always work well.  Same with certain movies not on Netflix but on Prime.  
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 48
    theunfetteredmindtheunfetteredmind Posts: 505member
    Waiting for it to actually happen before I get a new Apple TV. Also wondering if the Apple TV 5 will be coming "soon."
    edited May 2017
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  • Reply 5 of 48
    randominternetpersonrandominternetperson Posts: 3,202member
    A good move for both companies.  Petty stuff like this just hurts the customers and makes the companies look bad.
    frankieequality72521stevenozstompy
     4Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 48
    zroger73zroger73 Posts: 787member
    I'll believe it when I see it.

    With that said, I can't remember the last time I watched anything on Amazon Prime Video - seems like I'm always watching Netflix or Hulu.
    smaffei
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 48
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,944member
    Amazon realized that every content streaming service out there in market supports AppleTV first. So, staying away supporting AppleTV is just dumb egoistic non-business approach/stand, For customers, it's ok to be late than never.
    pscooter63randominternetpersonbrucemcwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 8 of 48
    Car_guycar_guy Posts: 3member
    Certainly is about time. As a long-term Prime customer I shouldn't be forced to use a device I don't want just to access a service I already pay for when there is no technical reason to do so. Nice to Amazon finally acknowledging what many of their customers want. Airplay worked fine for me, but was very clunky so I only used Prime as a last resort. Hopefully they use/port the iPad app, which works well, and don't deploy a crippled version to continue trying to push people to their hardware.
    Mike006StrangeDayswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 9 of 48
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,482member
    Not holding my breath, but I hope they offer it on ATV3 devices as well.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 48
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,058member
    zroger73 said:
    I'll believe it when I see it.

    With that said, I can't remember the last time I watched anything on Amazon Prime Video - seems like I'm always watching Netflix or Hulu.
    Try The Man in the High Castle---alternative WWII reality based on the novel.  Two seasons---it's amazing.  
    mike1f1ferrariwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 11 of 48
    The_Martini_Catthe_martini_cat Posts: 485member
    When my old TV went kaput, the new TV came with a physical button on  the remote for Amazon Prime TV. When my Apple TV went kaput, I did not replace it. Too bad, as I liked the little boonk boink sounds of the menu traversal.

    But the tv is off pretty much 24-7 anyway, so I felt no compunction in cancelling Prime due to there being no way to communicate with Amazon when they say they have delivered a package but it has not arrived.  I canceled all the subscribe and save subscriptions too, after discovering much lower prices of the local stores. 

    I tried to write reviews of the product complaining that it had not been delivered, but they deleted all of them.

     The best Amaxon  could offer  was a questionnaire, where the best choice was "I don't like the policy ",

     Finally I was able to communicate with the hapless third-party seller who made the mistake of using Amazon for logistics, and I complained about their packaging, saying that there was done. Because the item that never arrived. In a series of illiterate emails they obviously struggled  to get me a replacement for this five dollar item (an adapter which goes  between a home phone type audio and a normal  headset audio plug)

     Amazon:: easy to order, more difficult to receive. 

     
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 12 of 48
    Fatmanfatman Posts: 513member
    I question the accuracy ... is Amazon caving or Apple caving? If AppleTV owners buy content from Amazon and get the benefits of Prine music and video, that is money out of Apple's pocket (less iTunes revenue). I always assumed Apple was locking out Amazon to protect it's revenue.
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 13 of 48
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,482member
    Fatman said:
    I question the accuracy ... is Amazon caving or Apple caving? If AppleTV owners buy content from Amazon and get the benefits of Prine music and video, that is money out of Apple's pocket (less iTunes revenue). I always assumed Apple was locking out Amazon to protect it's revenue.
    Other way around. Apple has never locked out competitors from the app store. Think Google apps, Spotify, Pandora etc.
    Amazon wanted people to buy their devices. It is estimated that they have 80 million Prime Members in the US (http://www.businessinsider.com/how-many-amazon-prime-subscribers-estimates-chart-2017-4). By removing ATV from Amazon and not offering Prime on ATV, they were looking to sell more Fire devices. Sales have probably plateaued enough for them to think about offering on ATV now.

    tmaytycho_macuserStrangeDaysrandominternetpersonwatto_cobra
     4Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 14 of 48
    loekfloekf Posts: 41member
    Good step...

    But then still Amazon has a habit of screwing their customers by only allowing their streaming apps in certain regions:

    PS4 Amazon Video app: only US, UK, Germany, Austria
    Nividia Shield : only US, UK, Germany, Austria
    Some TVs (Sony, Samsung, LG) : everywhere where you can subscribe to Amazon Prime and Prime Video ?

    I hate using Airplay to watch stuff on Prime Video, so I got a Nvidia Shield. Still I have to disable location services and set the UI
    to US English to force the app to show up. Otherwise, the app won't work in the Netherlands.

    Basically, Amazon is selling you a streaming service you don't want to watch.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 15 of 48
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,188member
    Third quarter 2017 ends when?
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  • Reply 16 of 48
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    Amazon needs to decide what is more important: to sell its digital content or juice sales of low-margin Fire devices. Netflix and Hulu and HBO have already decided.
    badmonkpscooter63caliStrangeDayswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 17 of 48
    badmonkbadmonk Posts: 1,354member
    personally i hope Apple didn't give an inch in these negotiations 
    caliStrangeDayswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 18 of 48
    avidthinkeravidthinker Posts: 101member
    i don't see what amazon has to lose out of this deal.  it's not like apple is asking for the 30% cut from the prime membership.  and yes, airplaying the man in the high castle was super annoying.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 19 of 48
    evilutionevilution Posts: 1,399member
    The_Martini_Cat said:

    I tried to write reviews of the product complaining that it had not been delivered, but they deleted all of them.
     
    The review area is to review the actual items, not delivery or packaging.
    I've never had an issue contacting Amazon in the UK. I have received instant refunds and on a couple of occasions been told they don't want the item sent back.
    StrangeDaysfastasleep
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  • Reply 20 of 48
    Rayz2016rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Fatman said:
    I question the accuracy ... is Amazon caving or Apple caving? If AppleTV owners buy content from Amazon and get the benefits of Prine music and video, that is money out of Apple's pocket (less iTunes revenue). I always assumed Apple was locking out Amazon to protect it's revenue.
    Well, if you read this bit:

    ---------------
    A year ago, Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said Prime Video would remain off of devices that compete with its own Fire TV products until an acceptable financial model could be agreed upon.
    ----------------

    Then that should tell you who was doing the locking.

    In order to make up for lost hardware sales, I reckon Bezos is going to charge money for the app, on top of the subscription. 
    edited May 2017
    Solipscooter63
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