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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

#441

Post by hyperbovine »

hrayr wrote: post #329
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 had a long held belief that Amazon is a principled and trust worthy company... sadly that vision is crumbling before my eyes.

Amazon also refuses to sell firearms. Do you view that as unprincipled?

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

#442

Post by aioprisan »

Donzo wrote: post #362
aioprisan wrote: post #319

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's nothing preventing Amazon from creating a video app for Apple TV, HBO, Showtime and many others have created similar apps for the Apple TV. This is Amazon choosing not to.

Amazon wants to sell digital downloads on their app, and they don't want to give anyone 30%. HBO does not.

Apple wouldn't force Amazon in a 30% rev share deal. They don't with HBO and Showtime. And if Apple tried that, then Amazon would be in the right to block Apple TV sales.

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

#443

Post by andybak »

Donzo wrote: post #359
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...

It's probably retaliatory due to Apple and Google leveraging their platforms against Amazon's video distribution. It makes sense that they would, in turn, leverage their physical distribution platform against Apple and Google's physical streaming products. Amazon probably feels as though they were hit first in this fight.

> It's probably retaliatory due to Apple and Google leveraging their platforms against Amazon's video distribution.

In what way? No idea about Apple but as other commentators have said - is there anything stopping them supporting Amazon Video on Android/Chromecast?

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

#444

Post by [deleted] »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #380
bsder wrote: post #341

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Um, no offense, why? They crushed all the technical bookstores because they didn't have to pay sales tax. Their customer service beyond cheap refunds is abysmal. They understand how hard it is to distinguish between stuff that is only serviced through them, but choose not to fix it. And Bezos is famous for being both an asshole and micromanager. One-stop? Sure. Efficient? Maybe. Trustworthy? Pardon me for laughing.

Um, no offense, why? They crushed all the technical bookstores because they didn't have to pay sales tax. Um, no, they crushed all the technical bookstores because they could always get you the book you wanted very quickly and at a good price, unlike any other bookstore on the planet. Every one of those bookstores could have done the same thing in the Internet age, but the thing is, they didn't. I do miss bookstores…

[deleted]

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

#445

Post by andybak »

knexer wrote: post #402
azakai wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess the question is whether those SDKs provide everything Amazon needs. And, are there no legal restrictions that affect Amazon either. Overall the article just says Prime "doesn't work well" on those devices, but does work well on others. It doesn't say why. At this point it's hard to say who's to blame. It would have been nice if the article had investigated the issue.

Does the Cast SDK depend on google play services? If so, that's got a pretty spotty technical record on their Fire devices, and I don't think Amazon is allowed to redistribute it anyways. Might be they don't want to implement Chromecast support for every platform except their own.

If it did - how would it work on iOS?

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

#446

Post by joe5150 »

CPLX wrote: post #391
x0x0 wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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)…

I feel like this is actually a potentially serious problem for Amazon, and it's getting worse. The other day I went to buy a pair of standard issue Apple headphones. The same exact ones that come with the iPhone. Yeah they are slightly overpriced but I am really used to them and they sound good and my pair was getting ratty and I wanted another one. It was literally impossible to do. Try it and see what I mean. I see…

I have this experience probably about half the time I'm shopping on Amazon (which I do a lot of). If you look in the comments/reviews for many items there will be dozens of people saying e.g. "product shipped was not the product pictured", "only buy if the seller is so-and-so if you want a genuine product", "received a used/returned product", and on and on. I've taken to spending more and going out of my way to buy some things in retail stores, where I can at least be reasonably sure I'm not getting a counterfeit.

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

#447

Post by rconti »

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)…

A couple more Amazon problems:

They obviously treat their vendors like red-headed stepchildren; they know they have to be on Amazon to make sales, but the margins have to be tiny. Ever notice how when you order something from an Amazon "partner", the tracking information is magically worse than worthless? And of course, if you have a problem they'll correct it immediately at their own cost, because Amazon threatens to turn off the sales faucet if they don't make the Amazon Experience pleasant for the consumer.

Don't get me wrong, I still shop there. Particularly for electronics -- 3% cashback on my Amazon card is nothing to shake a stick at.

But it's feeling worse and worse to do so.

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

#448

Post by hendzen »

a_c_s wrote: post #351
stephengoodwin wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've always wondered if that was a regional variance. Since I live in Texas, I assume the prices of our grocery store staples are cheaper than they would be in, say, downtown New York City. But if I lived in a more urban, city environment, where easy parking isn't a given and picking up groceries in a car is more a hassle, then the time savings of having Amazon deliver for close to the same price that I would pay in…

Amazon's prices for the dry goods I buy (cereals, energy bars) are now often comparable or more expensive than buying locally here in Manhattan. (The grocery stores I am comparing are on my walk home from my subway stop) When I was in college Amazon had better prices on these products than my local stores in Iowa. This is why I'm much less excited about Amazon than I once was.

Do we know Amazon is actually offering the same prices to people in NYC and Iowa? Seems like they could maximize their profit by normalizing pricing to a user's regional cost of living.

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

#449

Post by bsder »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #380
bsder wrote: post #341

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Um, no offense, why? They crushed all the technical bookstores because they didn't have to pay sales tax. Their customer service beyond cheap refunds is abysmal. They understand how hard it is to distinguish between stuff that is only serviced through them, but choose not to fix it. And Bezos is famous for being both an asshole and micromanager. One-stop? Sure. Efficient? Maybe. Trustworthy? Pardon me for laughing.

Um, no offense, why? They crushed all the technical bookstores because they didn't have to pay sales tax. Um, no, they crushed all the technical bookstores because they could always get you the book you wanted very quickly and at a good price, unlike any other bookstore on the planet. Every one of those bookstores could have done the same thing in the Internet age, but the thing is, they didn't. I do miss bookstores…

> Um, no, they crushed all the technical bookstores because they could always get you the book you wanted very quickly and at a good price, unlike any other bookstore on the planet. Every one of those bookstores could have done the same thing in the Internet age, but the thing is, they didn't.

First, Amazon had a built-in advantage on sales tax for a LONG time. That's 8% off the top where I live.

Second, Amazon leveraged its volume in the popular bestsellers to strong-arm the publishers on the technical area. So, while my local bookstore would have to eat the inventory if I ordered a book and didn't want it, Amazon could return the inventory. This was HUGE.

Third, Amazon often WASN'T any faster than my local bookstore, but they would always claim they were. A couple times I ordered a technical book overnight from Amazon that claimed it was "in stock" and it would appear 2 weeks later--just like my local bookstore said it would take to get it from the publisher.

Fourth, my local technical bookstore was really good about ordering online and jumped immediately. It still didn't help.

The combination of no sales tax, monopoly position to get better terms from publishers, and outright lying about stock simply crushed the technical bookstores.

Well, jokes on Amazon and the publishers, since I can't browse technical books any more, I don't buy technical books anymore. And those had huge profit margins.

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

#450

Post by steeef »

darkstar999 wrote: post #407
larubbio wrote: post #258

This move really saddens me. When I left Netscape to work at Amazon one of the things that I was excited about was a quote from Jeff. "Focus on the customer, not competition." It seems they hve forgotten that. I found it frustrating when I couldn't stream Prime videos to my android phone (is stock android that different from the version on Fire?) I found it frustrating (but understandable) when they said they wouldn'…

Amazon Prime Video works on my Android TV (it's basically the Nexus player built in to the TV). Which one were you talking about? What is Google TV?

A precursor to Android TV: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_TV
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