Amazon Prime Video for tvOS will be announced at WWDC, Apple TV returning to Amazon.com

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 39
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Something to consider is if this is effectively a shadow announcement of a new 4K ATV, or at least one which supports HEVC.  The reason I'm saying that is Amazon apparently announced a while ago, that they were switching the HEVC for all of their video streams, not just the 4K, but the SD and HD ones as well, whether it's Amazon Prime Video or not.  While I haven't heard anything since then, and don't have a link in front of me, it does cause me at least, to wonder.
    I'd say that's almost a given. We'll see a 4K ATV before the year is out IMO. 
    doozydozen
  • Reply 22 of 39
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    schlack said:
    Will be great. But hard to see the value proposition for a $150+ AppleTV with excellent $35 streamers like Amazon Fire TV or support from Xbox One.
    Fire TV is pos. Get lost!
    cali
  • Reply 23 of 39
    stanthemanstantheman Posts: 332member
    One thing that may have drawn this agreement out is lingering hard feelings over Amazon and the Justice Department ganging up on Apple a couple of years back, saying that Apple with a market share of 0% was monopolizing the e-books market. After that case, I doubt if Apple execs have been very flexible in negotiating with Amazon.

    If Apple "gets" to begin selling AppleTV at Amazon, the implication is that Amazon finally "gets" to put its Prime app on AppleTV. Evidently it gets to do that without paying Apple a % of Prime membership dues. An Amazon Prime app with no special concessions by Apple would not be held up this long.
  • Reply 24 of 39
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    Tim Cook said Apple TV platform is open to everyone to bring their App and Amazon chose not to dot it. So, it's Amazon's fault for the delay. Now, Amazon has size and money to buy movies/contents at lower pricing so it would be hard for others to compete. Moreover, if Amazon starts TV streaming in combination to Prime video below $25 than that will be a problem for other 5 TV streaming services. Apple has not yet entered the competition and the streaming market is getting crowded which might start pricing was which might benefit customers.
    edited May 2017
  • Reply 25 of 39
    GrimzahnGrimzahn Posts: 64member
    Canceled my Amazon account when they pulled the Apple TV. Not seeing me buying anything from them ever.
  • Reply 26 of 39
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    sockrolid said:
    One word: "détente".
    And sometimes "mutually assured destruction"?
  • Reply 27 of 39
    gatorguy said:
    Something to consider is if this is effectively a shadow announcement of a new 4K ATV, or at least one which supports HEVC.  The reason I'm saying that is Amazon apparently announced a while ago, that they were switching the HEVC for all of their video streams, not just the 4K, but the SD and HD ones as well, whether it's Amazon Prime Video or not.  While I haven't heard anything since then, and don't have a link in front of me, it does cause me at least, to wonder.
    I'd say that's almost a given. We'll see a 4K ATV before the year is out IMO. 
    For me to share that opinion, 4K content would have to be available through at least the top 10 if not top 20 apps on the Apple TV. It's not. Not even close. Not even the top 5.

    1. iTunes  = No (but presumably would be if they released a 4K model)
    2. Netflix = Yes*
    3. Hulu = No.
    4. HBO = No.
    5. Showtime = No.
    6. Starz = No.
    7. YouTube = Some, mostly No.

    * = for an up-charge, which is hardly appropriate, and would not be popular.

    And let's not forget all the streaming cable apps:

    8. Sling TV = No.
    9. PSVue = No.
    10. DirecTVNow = No.

    Shall I continue? Or this trend clear enough?

    When Apple released the 1080p Apple TV, they upgraded iTunes Video content to 1080p that same day...and by doing so, they were not the first 1080p content to be ready for Apple TV, they were the last.
    edited May 2017 stompyStrangeDays
  • Reply 28 of 39
    What I want to see from Apple is a heavily subsidized bundle that gets you access to these VOD Apps. As this platform has grown, the costs for subscribing to "all" of the VOD apps to get access to "all" of the content out there, has gotten way out of hand. I can't be the only one who has noticed the scam the industry has running where so-called "licensing agreements" result in all of the content being spread out through 10 different VOD companies. This isn't a fad anymore, this is staple of content delivery, and for many people the exclusive means of Living Room content.

    Apple should offer a single $29/mon subscription, billed through iTunes. It gets you access to:
    Netflix
    Hulu
    HBO Now
    Showtime
    Starz
    Amazon Prime
  • Reply 29 of 39
    JeffA2JeffA2 Posts: 82member
    For me to share that opinion, 4K content would have to be available through at least the top 10 if not top 20 apps on the Apple TV. It's not. Not even close. Not even the top 5.

    1. iTunes  = No (but presumably would be if they released a 4K model)
    2. Netflix = Yes*
    3. Hulu = No.
    4. HBO = No.
    5. Showtime = No.
    6. Starz = No.
    7. YouTube = Some, mostly No.
    Of course Amazon Prime would also have 4k content. And for me, iTunes+Netflix+Amazon would be enough to begin. I'm sure HBO and Showtime will catchup. I have no interest in the other services at the moment. I suspect the big holdup is securing a reasonable amount of 4k content on the iTunes Store.
  • Reply 30 of 39
    JeffA2JeffA2 Posts: 82member

    Grimzahn said:
    Canceled my Amazon account when they pulled the Apple TV. Not seeing me buying anything from them ever.
    Seriously? Wow. I didn't think that anyone outside of a ascetic monastary was actually Amazon-free ;)
  • Reply 31 of 39
    almondrocaalmondroca Posts: 179member
    It's nice when two of your better friends get along.  :)
  • Reply 32 of 39
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Awesome if true.
  • Reply 33 of 39
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    What I want to see from Apple is a heavily subsidized bundle that gets you access to these VOD Apps. As this platform has grown, the costs for subscribing to "all" of the VOD apps to get access to "all" of the content out there, has gotten way out of hand. I can't be the only one who has noticed the scam the industry has running where so-called "licensing agreements" result in all of the content being spread out through 10 different VOD companies. This isn't a fad anymore, this is staple of content delivery, and for many people the exclusive means of Living Room content.

    Apple should offer a single $29/mon subscription, billed through iTunes. It gets you access to:
    Netflix
    Hulu
    HBO Now
    Showtime
    Starz
    Amazon Prime
    All of those services add up individual to about $50/month.  Creating such a bundle would have Apple losing money, every month, in an effort to sell a few million more $150 units in a single market (USA).

    Doesn't sound very Apple-like to me. 
  • Reply 34 of 39
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    Not a big deal since Apple TV isn't 4K. I've been watching Man in the High Castle in 4K HDR through the Prime app on my TV. Looks awesome. I don't want to downgrade picture quality using an Apple TV. Prime has a bunch of good stuff in 4K.
  • Reply 35 of 39
    Not a big deal since Apple TV isn't 4K. I've been watching Man in the High Castle in 4K HDR through the Prime app on my TV. Looks awesome. I don't want to downgrade picture quality using an Apple TV. Prime has a bunch of good stuff in 4K.

    While I obviously don't have any special knowledge, as I mentioned earlier in the thread, Amazon has been transitioning all of it's streaming video content to using HEVC, regardless of what resolution it uses.
  • Reply 36 of 39
    eideardeideard Posts: 428member
    We're stoked in my household. Cut the satellite cord after 20+ years a few months ago. Went to VUE on ATV4. Most of the rest of recreational viewing is Prime through the usual crap interface, 1080i, on our supposedly Smart TV. Even when renting a movie I'd rather spend (a little) more for better PQ on the ATV.

    Cripes, I can remove the SMART button setting from my Logitech 650.
  • Reply 37 of 39
    JeffA2 said:
    For me to share that opinion, 4K content would have to be available through at least the top 10 if not top 20 apps on the Apple TV. It's not. Not even close. Not even the top 5.

    1. iTunes  = No (but presumably would be if they released a 4K model)
    2. Netflix = Yes*
    3. Hulu = No.
    4. HBO = No.
    5. Showtime = No.
    6. Starz = No.
    7. YouTube = Some, mostly No.
    And for me, iTunes+Netflix+Amazon would be enough to begin.
    Ok, that's "for you". For the rest of the market, for Apple deciding what kind of product to deliver and when, that is paltry.
  • Reply 38 of 39

    brucemc said:
    What I want to see from Apple is a heavily subsidized bundle that gets you access to these VOD Apps. As this platform has grown, the costs for subscribing to "all" of the VOD apps to get access to "all" of the content out there, has gotten way out of hand. I can't be the only one who has noticed the scam the industry has running where so-called "licensing agreements" result in all of the content being spread out through 10 different VOD companies. This isn't a fad anymore, this is staple of content delivery, and for many people the exclusive means of Living Room content.

    Apple should offer a single $29/mon subscription, billed through iTunes. It gets you access to:
    Netflix
    Hulu
    HBO Now
    Showtime
    Starz
    Amazon Prime
    All of those services add up individual to about $50/month.  Creating such a bundle would have Apple losing money, every month, in an effort to sell a few million more $150 units in a single market (USA).

    Doesn't sound very Apple-like to me. 
    You can't lose money when you aren't making it in the first place. No meaningful percentage of users subscribes to all of those services. Only a few million users actually subscribe to 2, or more. Apple described as much during the last earnings call. This would be a boon for the services listed that wouldn't otherwise have certain users. I'm a good example. I pay for Netflix and Hulu, and if HBO were a little more reason, I would pay for that too. Right around the $30/mon mark. This seems to be the max that most people are willing to spend per month on streaming services. If I subscribe to them, that leaves no money to spend on Starz, Showtime, etc.

    It is in the interest of all of these services to commit to bundle like this.
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