Amazon Prime Video App Finally Launches For Apple TV
Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Whoever said it was full of you-know-what, as Apple just proved by adding support for Amazon Prime Video on its Apple TV streaming set-top box. At long last, Amazon Prime Video is available in the tvOS App Store, joining the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and many other apps. So, what took so freaking long to get to this point? Call it a case of clashing titans.
While the Apple TV has long supported popular streaming services such as YouTube, HBO Go, and others, Amazon Prime Video was not invited to the party, even though Apple wanted to bring as many streaming services into the fold as possible. Be that as it may, Amazon Prime Video was explicitly banned due to disagreements between the two companies over "acceptable business terms." While not stated, we have to believe that part of the reason for the cold shoulder was Amazon's decision to stop selling Apple TV boxes, in favor of its own Fire TV products.
"We want our player, our Prime Video player, to be on the device, and we want it to be on the device with acceptable business terms," Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos at Code Conference 2016. "And if you can’t, then we don't want to sell it to our customers, because they’re going to be buying it thinking they can watch Prime Video and then they’re going to be disappointed. And they’re going to return it."
The two finally hammered things out several months ago, with Apple announcing at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June that Amazon Prime Video would debut on Apple TV sometime this year. Well, that time has come. Going forward, it would not surprise us if Amazon resumed sales of Apple TV hardware, depending on what the two titans agreed to behind the scenes.
In any event, Apple TV owners now have access to the Amazon Prime Video app. Amazon Prime Video is available as a standalone $8.99/month service, or as a perk to joining Amazon's $99/year Prime membership program. It is filled with movies, TV shows, and original content. Two Prime originals that we recommended checking out are Sneaky Pete starring Giovanni Ribisi and Bryan Cranston, and Goliath starring Billy Bob Thorton. Both have been renewed for a second season (deservedly so).
While the Apple TV has long supported popular streaming services such as YouTube, HBO Go, and others, Amazon Prime Video was not invited to the party, even though Apple wanted to bring as many streaming services into the fold as possible. Be that as it may, Amazon Prime Video was explicitly banned due to disagreements between the two companies over "acceptable business terms." While not stated, we have to believe that part of the reason for the cold shoulder was Amazon's decision to stop selling Apple TV boxes, in favor of its own Fire TV products.
The two finally hammered things out several months ago, with Apple announcing at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June that Amazon Prime Video would debut on Apple TV sometime this year. Well, that time has come. Going forward, it would not surprise us if Amazon resumed sales of Apple TV hardware, depending on what the two titans agreed to behind the scenes.
In any event, Apple TV owners now have access to the Amazon Prime Video app. Amazon Prime Video is available as a standalone $8.99/month service, or as a perk to joining Amazon's $99/year Prime membership program. It is filled with movies, TV shows, and original content. Two Prime originals that we recommended checking out are Sneaky Pete starring Giovanni Ribisi and Bryan Cranston, and Goliath starring Billy Bob Thorton. Both have been renewed for a second season (deservedly so).
