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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Amazon has released an update to Instant Video app for iOS with various new features, including full support for Apple's AirPlay video streaming and full integration with movie information website IMDb. The update also provides users the ability to read customer reviews, and search for related videos in the context of a specific a cast or director, as well as concurrent downloads and a faster and more streamlined interface.

amazon-instant-video-800x473.jpg
What's New in Version 2.1

* AirPlay to Apple TV
* IMDB cast and director information, ratings, goofs, trivia and quotes
* Read customer reviews
* Find other videos featuring cast or director
* Customers who watched this also watched ...
* Concurrent downloads
* Improved offline experience
* Faster and more responsive interface
* Bug fixes and stability improvements
AirPlay is a welcome addition for many users, offering a streamlined method for users to send content to their televisions via an Apple TV, serving as a relatively simple solution in the absence of a dedicated Instant Video channel for the set-top box.

Amazon originally released its iPad app for Instant Video in August 2012, adding iPhone support in an update released a few months later. Amazon was also reported in April to be developing a competitor to the Apple TV set-top box. Amazon Instant Video is a free app and can be downloaded from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Amazon Updates 'Instant Video' iOS App with AirPlay Support, Full Integration with IMDb
 

Lord Hamsa

macrumors 6502a
Jul 16, 2013
698
675
Yay!

I'm not sure of Amazon Instant Video is going to be part of my "cut the cord" solution, but this makes it a much more viable option to consider.
 

piecloud

macrumors member
Nov 9, 2011
66
10
Apple TV app???

I wonder if this is a precursor to an Apple TV app. Didn't Vevo, HBO .., follow the same route? Opening airplay and then a few weeks later, they were on Apple TV.
 

jrswizzle

macrumors 603
Aug 23, 2012
6,107
129
McKinney, TX
Finally! Was having to use my Blu-Ray player's Amazon Prime Video app and that thing is slow as hell and awful to navigate....

Kudos to Amazon!
 

UnfetteredMind

macrumors 6502
Jun 6, 2012
451
77
Finally made it usable/useful. As everyone else is saying, hopefully this is a precursor to an app on the AppleTV. Will finally use it as part of my Prime membership now!
 

Amazing Iceman

macrumors 603
Nov 8, 2008
5,241
3,982
Florida, U.S.A.
Yay!

I'm not sure of Amazon Instant Video is going to be part of my "cut the cord" solution, but this makes it a much more viable option to consider.

We are still far away from the "cut the cord" experience we are all looking for.
I would like to be able to import music and other media into my iPad without having to rely on third-party apps. Is that too much to ask?
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,018
8,379
New Hampshire, USA
Finally made it usable/useful. As everyone else is saying, hopefully this is a precursor to an app on the AppleTV. Will finally use it as part of my Prime membership now!

Did you get the prime membership for the Amazon video streaming or do you want to use the Amazon video streaming because you have a prime membership ?

In my opinion, Netflix and Hulu plus are much better alternatives to Amazon but I can see you wanting to use Amazon if you have the prime membership for free shipping.
 

CruiseToGo

macrumors member
Sep 22, 2012
93
43
As with many of the video apps that are airplay enabled, quality on the output is ok, but not that great. A native Amazon Apple Tv app will be better, but I'll take this for now.
 

TXCherokee

macrumors 6502
Aug 24, 2012
338
180
Yay!

I'm not sure of Amazon Instant Video is going to be part of my "cut the cord" solution, but this makes it a much more viable option to consider.

I've cut the cord. We (family of 4) use Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, and an HD antenna for all our TV watching needs. Saves about $60-80 a month depending on what we buy on iTunes and is so simple my 3-year old can use it unassisted.
But, individual results may vary. :)
 

Rayd5365

macrumors member
Aug 31, 2010
74
162
+1 x 100 on the "Finally".
Finally I don't have to fire up a my 10,000 watt space heating turbofan called the PS/3 to watch Amazon videos on the big TV's!
Way to go Amazon, the app is finally useful.
 

TXCherokee

macrumors 6502
Aug 24, 2012
338
180
Did you get the prime membership for the Amazon video streaming or do you want to use the Amazon video streaming because you have a prime membership ?

In my opinion, Netflix and Hulu plus are much better alternatives to Amazon but I can see you wanting to use Amazon if you have the prime membership for free shipping.

I see Netflix and Amazon as about the same, especially when you add in the 2-day shipping from Amazon. Luckily they have different content deals (Nickelodeon vs Disney, for the kids, as an example) which makes carring both worth it for my household.

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+1 x 100 on the "Finally".
Finally I don't have to fire up a my 10,000 watt space heating turbofan called the PS/3 to watch Amazon videos on the big TV's!
Way to go Amazon, the app is finally useful.

Agreed. This may allow me to cancel my XBox live membership since M$ required it to access Netflix and Amazon.
 

NameUndecided

macrumors 6502a
Mar 28, 2011
751
68
Yaay. It's a welcome improvement, but this seems like one those odd Airplay-enabled apps that requires me to keep my iPad's screen turned on to keep it playing. If I place on the SmartCover or turn it off, the video stops streaming.

It's a bit annoying and not great for battery when I, seemingly needlessly, need to have the screen on (even at lowest brightness) during an entire video.

It's a nice start, but this limitation seems pretty unnecessary, even kind of stubborn.
 

crees!

macrumors 68020
Jun 14, 2003
2,013
239
MD/VA/DC
I've cut the cord. We (family of 4) use Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, and an HD antenna for all our TV watching needs. Saves about $60-80 a month depending on what we buy on iTunes and is so simple my 3-year old can use it unassisted.
But, individual results may vary. :)

Exactly the same situation, only with Hulu some shows are PC-only (we need to hook the old MacBook Pro to the TV) or you get bounced out to a network's site, but in some cases like FoodTV they don't have full episodes. So on cutting the cord, we're almost there. For now, we're enjoying classics like The Dick Van Dyke Show.
 

UnfetteredMind

macrumors 6502
Jun 6, 2012
451
77
Did you get the prime membership for the Amazon video streaming or do you want to use the Amazon video streaming because you have a prime membership ?

In my opinion, Netflix and Hulu plus are much better alternatives to Amazon but I can see you wanting to use Amazon if you have the prime membership for free shipping.

The latter (using video because I get it "free" with the prime membership). I wouldn't have done it the other way (getting prime for video). I don't currently have any other streaming services so it would be nice to at least use the one we have access to :)
 

Casiotone

macrumors 6502a
Oct 12, 2008
825
111
And that's where AirPlay is better than ChromeCast.

Amazon did not have to make a deal with Apple to enable this functionality, unlike the ChromeCast white-list system where Google decides which apps can stream to TV, depending on revenue-sharing deals they've been trying to make with content providers.

On iOS, it's up to developers to choose if they want to enable Airplay streaming.

Of course Apple can always reject apps, but it works more like a black-list than the ChromeCast white-list, which is a big difference. There's already a lot of apps on the App Store that can Airplay "Unauthorized content" (DIVX, AVI video players) and Apple doesn't seem to care.
 

dontwalkhand

macrumors 603
Jul 5, 2007
6,368
2,863
Phoenix, AZ
And that's where AirPlay is better than ChromeCast.

Amazon did not have to make a deal with Apple to enable this functionality, unlike the ChromeCast white-list system where Google decides which apps can stream to TV, depending on revenue-sharing deals they've been trying to make with content providers.

On iOS, it's up to developers to choose if they want to enable Airplay streaming.

Of course Apple can always reject apps, but it works more like a black-list than the ChromeCast white-list, which is a big difference. There's already a lot of apps on the App Store that can Airplay "Unauthorized content" (DIVX, AVI video players) and Apple doesn't seem to care.

It's funny how what Google has been doing is something we would expect out of Apple. Instead, Apple is doing it right and Google is doing it wrong :p
 

mikeheenan

macrumors 6502
Aug 8, 2007
305
15
I just downloaded the app for my iPhone and it won't let me watch anything without wifi. Is there a way to change this? Netflix doesn't have this problem.
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,018
8,379
New Hampshire, USA
The latter (using video because I get it "free" with the prime membership). I wouldn't have done it the other way (getting prime for video). I don't currently have any other streaming services so it would be nice to at least use the one we have access to :)

I was considering prime membership for shipping but decided against it. I order a lot from Amazon but I don't mind if it takes a week or so to arrive. Standard free shipping works for me although it sometimes means I'm buying extra to make the $25.00 min order :D.

----------

I just downloaded the app for my iPhone and it won't let me watch anything without wifi. Is there a way to change this? Netflix doesn't have this problem.

The app is currently wifi only although you can download videos for watching without a connection.
 

00trayn

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2011
67
0
I just downloaded the app for my iPhone and it won't let me watch anything without wifi. Is there a way to change this? Netflix doesn't have this problem.

And this is why I never use this app. I'd watch videos at the gym, but I don't get Wifi! I just stick to Netflix... It's my choice whether I want to use my 3G data (Verizon unlimited...) to watch videos, they should at least let me do it.
 
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