Amazon launches standalone Prime Video in US, relaunches monthly Prime subscriptions

Posted:
in General Discussion
Putting it into more direct competition with services like Netflix and Hulu, Amazon on Monday introduced standalone Prime Video subscriptions in the U.S., as well as a monthly option for full-scale Prime service.




The Prime Video plan is available for $8.99 per month. This includes all shows and movies, as well as HD, UHD (4K), and HDR video quality options. The only drawback is that on an annual basis, the plan is actually more expensive than a regular Prime subscription, which costs $99 per year.

Prime Video is nevertheless cheaper than something like Netflix, which recently raised the price of its standard plan (with HD) to $9.99 per month for new users.

People who want access to the full benefits of Prime -- including music, books, and improved shipping -- can now choose to pay $10.99 per month. The amount is the same as Amazon began offering to Sprint customers in March.

The company actually tested the idea of a $7.99 monthly plan in 2012, but almost immediately stopped it for reasons unknown. At the time, a normal Prime plan was still just $79, making for an annual price gap of about $17. The new monthly rate creates a $33 gap, even with a higher regular Prime fee.

Separate Prime Video subscriptions are also available in the U.K., Germany, and Japan, but the U.S. is both Amazon's home market and its largest.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    maclvr03maclvr03 Posts: 198member
    Still waiting on that ATV app....
    pmzspacekid
  • Reply 2 of 16
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    Maybe they'll launch an Apple TV app now.

    edited April 2016 pmzspacekidaaronsullivan
  • Reply 3 of 16
    zroger73zroger73 Posts: 787member
    I find myself using mostly Hulu for TV shows, Netflix for movies, and Amazon for...well...very little. Downton Abbey is the only show I watched that wasn't on Hulu or Netflix.
    lolliver
  • Reply 4 of 16
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    zroger73 said:
    I find myself using mostly Hulu for TV shows, Netflix for movies, and Amazon for...well...very little. Downton Abbey is the only show I watched that wasn't on Hulu or Netflix.
    I find Netflix all but useless for recent movies, but great for TV shows. At lease with Amazon I can choose to rent a movie if it is not included with Prime.
  • Reply 5 of 16
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member
    This may have been the biggest factor holding back an AppleTV App...that there was no singular subscription for the video service. Well, now there is. Should be just a matter of time now.

    I'd like to see them debut this App, with Siri support. Siri is big for driving new subscriptions on AppleTV. I don't know what Amazon has and I'm not subscribing to find out...but if it starts coming up as a viable option in Siri search results, you can be sure I will be subscribing then.
    aaronsullivan
  • Reply 6 of 16
    josujosu Posts: 217member
    maclvr03 said:
    Still waiting on that ATV app....
    Still waiting an all in one streaming service available worldwide...hopefully with as AppleTv app.
  • Reply 7 of 16
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    maclvr03 said:
    Still waiting on that ATV app....
    You can keep waiting, I'll continue to Airplay to my AppleTV using my iOS device which you can also do on a cheaper AppleTV 3 also.
  • Reply 8 of 16
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member
    Don't care. If they can't make it available on Apple TV, then I'm not interested. I'm tired of Amazon's business practices with not selling a product on their store to "avoid customer confusion".
    lolliver
  • Reply 9 of 16
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    Amazon Instant video for $1.99 or $8.99; until offered on Apple-TV, to me it's dead on arrival. Some says use airplay and I politely reply. It's horrible experience and on top engaging extra IOS device for airplay to watch on TV. So until Amazon offers on Apple-TV, I will continue happy using friend's prime membership to buy what I need few things from Amazon for free shipping. Give a taste of it's own medicine. Comparing between two streaming entity, Netflix is better than Amazon and plays on Apple-TV natively, Same, message for others like Dishnetwork for SLING app not yet supported on Apple-TV..
    edited April 2016
  • Reply 10 of 16
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    mike1 said:
    zroger73 said:
    I find myself using mostly Hulu for TV shows, Netflix for movies, and Amazon for...well...very little. Downton Abbey is the only show I watched that wasn't on Hulu or Netflix.
    I find Netflix all but useless for recent movies, but great for TV shows. At lease with Amazon I can choose to rent a movie if it is not included with Prime.
    Ummmm iTunes?

    I'm actually hoping iTunes movies get an upgrade soon they're falling so far behind. A ton of people are going to Vudu(late Wal Mart wannabe)

    I'd like the option for 3D and 4K versions, wider iTunes Extras support and for them to take over the Blu-Ray Digital HD market again. I believe there's more Ultraviolet support from Blu-Rays now. They're falling so far behind it's embarrassing.

    A perfect analogy for perspective would be MCX(late Wal Mart supported wannabe) gaining wide support and more features than Apple Pay.

    Yes I know all the excuses but there's no excuse for the biggest/oldest digital marketplace from the richest company in the world.
    aaronsullivan
  • Reply 11 of 16
    spacekidspacekid Posts: 183member
    Yeah, I want it on Apple TV also. Hulu and Netflix don't give me free shipping from Amazon.
    aaronsullivan
  • Reply 12 of 16
    sirlance99sirlance99 Posts: 1,293member
    There's just absolutely no reason for me to buy an Apple TV right now. No Amazon Prime Video, no Vudu, both of which I use extensively. My smart TV, Ruku and Chromecast all do what the Apple TV does for my needs and more. I want a Apple TV but it would get no use as of now. 
  • Reply 13 of 16
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    zroger73 said:
    I find myself using mostly Hulu for TV shows, Netflix for movies, and Amazon for...well...very little. Downton Abbey is the only show I watched that wasn't on Hulu or Netflix.
    Yup. Hulu is my choice for TV shows. Even though I have Comcast local channels streaming as part of my internet subscription, I prefer Hulu for no ads...well even at $11.99/mo. Can't stand watching Gotham with damn commercials on Fox. Amazon Prime? I watch zero thing in there. Netflix is for my weekend movies...
    edited April 2016
  • Reply 14 of 16
    Interesting that Amazon is competing directly with Netflix when Amazon Web Services hosts Netflix content. Either way, Amazon wins...
  • Reply 15 of 16
    I pay for Amazon Prime for the shipping and I used to watch Prime video as well. Orphan Black Season 3 arrived and I just can't be bothered to go through another device right now. Not feeling the value they want me to. I've always disliked their mingling of rent and pay with free shows. This and the lack of a subscription might have been part of what was holding up an AppleTV app, so hopefully we get that soon.

    I especially want it searchable through Siri with all the other options together. AppleTV does the results right with the cheapest option in front.
  • Reply 16 of 16
    dm3dm3 Posts: 168member
    Amazon video is worthless compared to Netflix, iTunes etc. If Amazon really believed it was work $9/mo, then maybe they'd offer Prime without video for the difference, $3/mo. That would be a deal.
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