They refuse to make the Prime Video app available on the Play Store, they refuse to add Chromecast support, and now they refuse to even sell Chromecast because of their own decision to not support it? I've just canceled my Prime subscription and I hope a few others do as well.
Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
41–50 of 545 posts
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#42I don't think this move is in Amazon's best interests long term. Their competitive edge with Prime is that I go to them first because I assume they'll have what I want, at a fair price and the highest level of convenience. If they are no longer the "Everything Store" then they won't be where I go to for everything...
Totally agree. They are destroying their most valuable component of their brand, for a relatively weak one (Prime Video).
I have Prime and prefer Netflix, because Prime Video still doesn't have a great selection.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#43This is gold: "It’s important that the streaming media players we sell interact well with Prime Video in order to avoid customer confusion."
The new AppleTV has an App Store. Does this mean Amazon can't or won't create an app for Prime Video for the AppleTV? (Can't or won't, either answer would be telling.)
If a device comes with a useable app store, I'd rather it not come with tons of bloatware for every service ever out of the box.
At this point it just seems Amazon is touting their weight.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#44Amazon can absolutely do this (but I think it is a slippery slope, possibly a sign of some bad changes ahead at amazon. They really should be neutral about the products listed on their site) but the reason they gave is kinda ridiculous [1]. I have a hard time believing the enough people don't know the difference between Prime & Netflix to make this a legitimate reason to stop selling Chromecast and Apple TV [1]: Over…
"Over the last three years, Prime Video has become an important part of Prime," Amazon said in the e-mail. "It’s important that the streaming media players we sell interact well with Prime Video in order to avoid customer confusion." Then make your damn Video application work with the Nexus Player.
It would be so easy for Amazon to support Chromecast. Instead they're losing me as a Prime customer.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#45I worked at Amazon for a while, and I was in a number of meetings with a number of senior executives, and I heard them ask, "What's better for the customer?". This move makes me think they've gotten out of the habit of asking that question.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#46Wouldn't it be great if Google de-indexed links to pages regarding Amazon Prime citing the same reason "in order to avoid customer confusion."?
That would instantly backfire on google.
Amazon isn't a search engine that indexes the web. It's a ecommerce site, and ultimately is allowed to carry the products they want to carry.
This is only specific to Apple & Google video streaming devices, not all Apple & Google products.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#47Bloomberg's title seems a little baity. The article states, "... its marketplace sellers that it will stop selling Apple TV and Google’s Chromecast."
So "the everything store" will stop selling their competitors products? Not exactly earth-shattering.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#48So there goes my hopes of a Amazon Instant Video app for the new Apple TV. Not that my hopes were too high, but it would've simplified my cable cutting to reduce down to a single device. With native apps and AirPlay mirroring, the new Apple TV was set to be my family's single set top box, but we have a number of kid movies and shows on Amazon Instant Video, and last I checked, there's no support for AirPlay there, so…
I figured it out via Google, but, as an FYI, that glyph looks nothing like an Apple logo on my device.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#49I don't think this move is in Amazon's best interests long term. Their competitive edge with Prime is that I go to them first because I assume they'll have what I want, at a fair price and the highest level of convenience. If they are no longer the "Everything Store" then they won't be where I go to for everything...
Totally agree. They are destroying their most valuable component of their brand, for a relatively weak one (Prime Video). I have Prime and prefer Netflix, because Prime Video still doesn't have a great selection.
Yeah I agree with this. There are a couple of shows that are only on Prime Instant Video that I use it for. But I'll still watch it on my Apple TV. If Amazon chooses not to build an app, I'll go elsewhere, I won't buy a whole Fire TV just to watch a show.
All this for one of the weakest parts of Prime. I've been a Prime member for 3-4 years before I watched my first prime video. I simply don't care for the service.
Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices
#50This is ridiculous. Google should delist Amazon.com to "avoid customer confusion" when searchers land there and can't buy a chromecast ;) Their explanation is just insulting.
Google can't do that right now. The DOJ is looking into anti-trust practices.
Even though everyone else should be looked into as well (this is article is a case in point).