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Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices

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Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices

#211

Post by jrochkind1 »

Coding_Cat wrote: post #103
savanaly wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought anti-competitive would be Amazon selling its fire tv stick at a loss for a period of time long enough to force competitors to drop out of the market. Surely what they want to sell in their store should only be up to them?

Both are. Legally I believe Amazon is allowed to discriminate against competitors products as long as they're not a monopoly or using their dominant position in the "online-store market" to squash competition in the "online video-market". I'm not sure of the exact definition, but in the EU at least Google has gotten in hot-waters before over something similar. Generally speaking, you are being anticompetitive if you'…

To you and me though, it does kind of sound like Amazon is using their dominant position in the "online-store market" to squash competition in the "online video market", doesn't it? To me, it sounds like that's exactly what they are doing.

Whether it seems that way to the FTC or to a lawyer who understands the relevant laws is another question.

You would _think_ Amazon would run this by their lawyers first.... and do it only if their lawyers thought they could get away with it? I dunno.

Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices

#212

Post by stcredzero »

IgorPartola wrote: post #87
Artistry121 wrote: post #5

I 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...

I have found them to be constantly more expensive on tools vs Home Depot and Lowes. I used to think that Amazon would pretty much aways give me the best price (+/- random sites that may or may not be shady), but when it comes to any type of tools that has not been the case. I have also found Costco to be often times cheaper for household supplies such as paper towel, etc. Amazon's main benefit is convenience, but the…

I used to think that Amazon would pretty much aways give me the best price

People used to think the same thing about Walmart. But so long as they have you "in the door" they will try to get you on margin. (Their margin)

Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices

#213

Post by dragonwriter »

x0x0 wrote: post #203
yid wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They are destroying their most valuable component of their brand, for a relatively weak one (Prime Video). This is why it almost seems like Amazon's Google+ moment: one underperforming product area somehow manages to convince leadership to change the company's underlying principles in its advantage to the long-term detriment of overall brand perception. Edit: 32 points in 19 mins for this comment. I really hope som…

Ditto, though here's the problem with amazon: buying apple stuff on there is a shit experience. Go there right now and type macbook pro in the search. You'll get a page of results with these top results: Apple MacBook Pro MF839LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop with Retina Display (128 GB) NEWEST VERSION Apple MacBook Pro MD101LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop Apple MacBook Pro MJLQ2LL/A 15.4-Inch Laptop with Retina Display (NEWEST VERSION)…

AFAICT, that problem is general to buying anything through Amazon except things sold directly by Amazon.

Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices

#214

Post by SonicSoul »

yid wrote: post #107
cwkoss wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

> They are destroying their most valuable component of their brand, for a relatively weak one (Prime Video). This is why it almost seems like Amazon's Google+ moment: one underperforming product area somehow manages to convince leadership to change the company's underlying principles in its advantage to the long-term detriment of overall brand perception. Edit: 32 points in 19 mins for this comment. I really hope som…

Great point. Don't they also earn money from each AppleTV and Chromecast sold through Amazon? Unless they were doing it at a 0 gain seems stupid not to profit from sales of competing products. They must really be banking on the increase in Prime sales making up that difference.

Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices

#215

Post by roflchoppa »

x0x0 wrote: post #203
yid wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They are destroying their most valuable component of their brand, for a relatively weak one (Prime Video). This is why it almost seems like Amazon's Google+ moment: one underperforming product area somehow manages to convince leadership to change the company's underlying principles in its advantage to the long-term detriment of overall brand perception. Edit: 32 points in 19 mins for this comment. I really hope som…

Ditto, though here's the problem with amazon: buying apple stuff on there is a shit experience. Go there right now and type macbook pro in the search. You'll get a page of results with these top results: Apple MacBook Pro MF839LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop with Retina Display (128 GB) NEWEST VERSION Apple MacBook Pro MD101LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop Apple MacBook Pro MJLQ2LL/A 15.4-Inch Laptop with Retina Display (NEWEST VERSION)…

GradeAUnderA brought out some really good points https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_osrpU9UWrc

Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices

#216

Post by yohui »

azakai wrote: post #159
yohui wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon Instant Video is available on Sony TVs running Android TVs, but Amazon disables the app from working on non-Sony TVs: http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/05/16/amazon-disables-the-... Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Crunchyroll, etc. all support Chromecast. It would be extremely easy for Amazon to support it, if they wanted to.

Are you saying that the article is wrong when it says that Amazon video worked, but poorly, on non-Sony TVs?

Are we referring to the same article? The Android Police article linked above reports that Amazon blocked users who tried to run the app on non-Sony TVs:

> But now it doesn't work. "License Error" codes have started showing up when running the Instant Video app on the Nexus Player, presumably because someone at Amazon saw that it was running on non-blessed hardware and shut it down.

Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices

#217

Post by jlarocco »

The best way to increase usage of their video streaming would be to make the interface suck less.

Finding shows and videos is a pain in the ass, and it's very difficult to find shows and there's no way to find shows or movies that I've previously watched, even if I didn't finish them.

I've been working my way through all of the Twilight Zone episodes, and even after completely watching seasons 1, 2, 3, and half of season 5, it still doesn't show up as suggested for me or anything. I have to search for it every single night, and the shows don't even show up in the top results, I have to scroll half way down the page to find it.

And then a lot of shows are missing a random season or two. The Twilight Zone is missing season 4, for example.

I only use it because I already have prime and don't watch enough to pay for Netflix. If I had to pay, I'd use something else.

Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices

#218

Post by drewg123 »

What really, really irks me about this is that Amazon ALREADY HAS an Android TV app. They were (apparently) contractually obligated to Sony to supply it for their TVs, and it works perfectly well on Sony Android TV based Smart TVs. It was possible to sideload this app on other Android TV devices until Amazon put a halt to it.

See http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/05/16/amazon-disables-the-...

I wonder if Netflix should be scared. The next thing you know, they might ban competing video services from running on aws ...

Re: Amazon Will Ban Sale of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices

#219

Post by bduerst »

Artistry121 wrote: post #74
subway wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Within 3 minutes of reading this, I canceled my Amazon Prime account. The fact they require sideloading APKs for streaming video on Android devices, and even then only support SD quality was annoying. This just tells me they have no intention whatsoever of improving the situation. I guess I'll use Google Express now.

Yes - they had an excellent brand for quantity of product and quality of service. Their whole competition with Google and lack of support of its products has been undermining that. It seems a particularly bad move given the quick delivery space has many competitors now and Wal-mart, Target, Jet.com... have began competing with online orders. Reputation will be extremely important.

The lack of chromecast support was why I never jumped on Prime video.

I get that you want more people to use your fire stick, but as a source of entertainment competing with Netflix and HBO, you want to be more accessible, not less.

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