Which is why it isnt a shock that Amazon announced this week it would be restructuring its prices yes, to be more like Netflix. However, the overall cost of monthly subscriptions exceeds that of a yearly one, so it is ultimately up to subscribers to decide which suits them best. The video-only service does not come with free shipping. Prime Video is month-to-month, which may make it more appealing to customers who are skittish about signing on for a full year, or who’d rather not pay $99 up front. Jay Marine, vice president of Amazon Instant Video in Europe, told CNBC previous year that the company would “double down” on its investment in video and audio content, after spending $1.3 billion on Prime Instant Video in 2014. Yet, finding and developing the next House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, or Daredevil is easier said than done.
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One of the glaring differences between the two streaming services is Amazon’s lack of Apple TV support.
At $8.99 a month, Amazon’s stand-alone streaming service is $1 less than Netflix, and $1 more than Hulu.
The online retailer’s video service comes at a crucial time for both it and Netflix.
Amazon has not disclosed whether its video services in the UK will be affected by the addition of Prime Video in the United States.
Amazon’s offerings include “Transparent, ‘ “Mozart in the Jungle” and previously-aired HBO shows”.
Furthering the push to cater to cord cutters, who shy away from expensive cable subscriptions, Amazon now offers an option where users can purchase its Prime Video streaming service separate from Amazon Prime.
But it is not just in the USA where Netflix is facing stiffer competition because a growing number of media start-ups in Southeast Asia and India are offering low-priced alternatives, Quartz reported. A second service that will cost $10.99 a month, will also add music streaming, and included free, two-day shipping on orders through Amazon, according to The New York Times.
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New customers can now pay $8.99 a month to watch Amazon’s Prime video streaming service. The fourth quarter of 2015 was great for Netflix, its data traffic represented 37 percent of North American downstream.
