Live data from Hacker News

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

bloomberg.com

411–420 of 545 posts

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

#412

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...

It's kind of like a grocery store eliminating the name brand items that compete with the store brand. In this case, the store brand (aka Amazon Instant Video), isn't that interesting to me. I might be willing to consider Amazon Instant Video if they made it available on Chromecast. I'm not sure I'd use it even if they gave me an Amazon branded streaming device. I like the simplicity of my Chromecast, and it serves me well.

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

#413
post #42

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...

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.

> I have Prime and prefer Netflix, because Prime Video still doesn't have a great selection.

In my (limited) experience, the selection between Amazon Prime Video and Netflix is about the same. While this move very much feels like degrading performance of competing office suites on your OS or even refusing to run your windowing system on a competitor's OS (cough Microsoft cough), I can see why they would do it. For one thing, it's kind of the reverse: it's telling Apple and Google to get their shit together and not degrade performance of Prime Video on their devices (last I heard, my Apple loving family still couldn't watch Prime Video).

To someone like me, who owns no Apple products and isn't tied to Google either, but is an avid Netflix user, Amazon Video and Netflix fill my needs quite nicely. Of course, take this all with a grain of salt from someone who's logging so many hours climbing and hiking he hasn't seriously watched TV/movies in a while. But the couch potato wife hasn't complained, and she's the one who bought the Amazon Fire TV.

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

#414

Amazon needs to do a better job of explaining why they think Apple TV and Chromecast's restrictions are unfair. Amazon's streaming is pretty good, I certainly wouldn't buy a device that doesn't support Prime Video. Roku is pretty good, supports everything except Apple streaming AFAIK. One could make a pretty good argument Apple is the one locking people out. But it might come across as Amazon throwing their weight ar…

What's stopping Amazon from making Prime work on Chromecast? Even freebie apps in the Play Store stream just fine to Chromecast.

geez, I dunno...that's why they really have to be more clear.

Picture I had was, Apple was a walled garden, you bought Roku, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, it worked on everything but Apple TV.

Seems like it will be a full-fledged shooting platform war now.

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

#416

Amazon 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…

> Amazon can absolutely do this May, maybe not. It depends if the FTC views this as an anti-competitive move. See https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/competition-guidance/guide-a... "It is unlawful for a company to monopolize or attempt to monopolize trade, meaning a firm with market power cannot act to maintain or acquire a dominant position by excluding competitors or preventing new entry."

Yep, I thought the same thing - I've referred the article to the UK Competition and Markets Authority, and to the UK Consumers' Association.

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

#417
Is there a reason why Prime Video doesn't work on Chromecast and Apple TV? If I were trying out Prime Video, the first thing I'd be doing is trying to make it work with my Chromecast. If I find out I need to buy another Chromecast-like device to make it work, that would work against Prime Video.

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

#418
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.

> I have Prime and prefer Netflix, because Prime Video still doesn't have a great selection. In my (limited) experience, the selection between Amazon Prime Video and Netflix is about the same. While this move very much feels like degrading performance of competing office suites on your OS or even refusing to run your windowing system on a competitor's OS ( cough Microsoft cough ), I can see why they would do it. For…

> For one thing, it's kind of the reverse: it's telling Apple and Google to get their shit together and not degrade performance of Prime Video on their devices

Chromecast only doesn't support Amazon Video because Amazon hasn't made apps (iOS, Android, or Web) that support the Google Cast SDK, not because Google does something to degrade performance.

AFAICT, essentially the same is true of AppleTV -- Amazon Video doesn't work on the platform because Amazon hasn't bothered to make an app for the platform.

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

#419

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...

Amazon also has items listed by sellers for cheaper than Prime but they are buried in the buy box. That might be changing. I can't say more than that.

If you add the shipping costs, those offers are usually more than what prime offers

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

#420

Cancel your Amazon Prime, send a signal to Amazon. There are plenty of retailers with expedited shipping options now, and I've long preferred say, Newegg, over Amazon for technology products. I'm canceling my Prime. I don't even own a Chromecast, or any iOS devices, but I'm not going to support a company throwing its weight around in this abusive manner, even if it's entirely legal. (It is not without irony that I wr…

>There are plenty of retailers with expedited shipping options now

What about cheap/free 2 day shipping for books? Would love to find an Amazon alternative.

Post reply on HN