Amazon Partners with Samsung and Hollywood to Roll Out 4K Ultra HD Streaming

Usually when bleeding edge software and hardware first come out, there's a chicken or the egg scenario. We're not seeing that with the shift to 4K ultra high definition (UHD) -- hardware makers aren't waiting on media companies to come out with content and vice versa. As we've said in the past, this doesn't mean you should trash your 1080p television, but if you're willing to invest in a 4K TV or monitor, there are going to be 4K videos for you to watch. Amazon and several key partners are making sure of that.

While hardware makers are announcing 4K displays at CES, Amazon on Monday said it is working with the leading consumer electronic companies, top Hollywood studios, and TV programmers, including Samsung, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, 20th Century Fox, Discovery, and others to offer customers a premium 4K UHD viewing experience. Amazon's latest announcement comes hot on the heels of a previous commitment to shoot all 2014 original series in 4K.


"Customers are excited about the future of 4K and the next evolution of high resolution video. We’re working with consumer electronics leaders and Hollywood studios to make that a reality," said Bill Carr, Vice President of Digital Video and Music for Amazon. "There are a number of elements that need to work together to create a true 4K experience for customers—you need great content and compatible devices but you also need a service that can deliver that content to your devices so that it plays beautifully—we’re excited about making that a reality."

This all bodes well for Amazon Prime customers who, as part of their memberships, have access to thousands of movies and TV shows through Amazon Prime Instant Video. And with several major studios teaming up with Amazon to deliver 4K content for streaming, this could be a big win versus the competition.

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