Amazon's Set-Top Box Competitor to Apple TV and Roku Launching Before Holidays

MacRumors · Oct 3, 2013

Amazon is developing a set-top box to compete with the Apple TV and Roku boxes, reports The Wall Street Journal. The box would be aimed primarily at users of its Amazon Prime Video streaming video service and could launch in time for the holiday season.

It was reported back in April that Amazon was developing a set-top box to stream video via its Amazon Prime and Instant Video services.

Plans for a device that would stream video were reported in April by The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets. Such a set-top box would broaden Amazon's reach into the living room, where today it is dependent on other hardware makers to reach consumers watching video on TV sets. Providing a device of its own is a potentially crucial component to Amazon's ambition of expanding beyond its core online marketplace business.

Amazon has stepped up its streaming content offerings recently, producing 14 original television pilots and using customer feedback to decide which get made into full shows, as well as spending significant amounts of money to secure exclusive rights to shows like Downton Abbey and The West Wing. The tactic takes on both Netflix's subscription streaming service and Apple's iTunes content store.

Currently Amazon's Instant Video service is available on iPads and iPhones, the Xbox 360, the Nintendo Wii, the Sony Playstation 3, smart televisions from LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio, TiVo, the Roku box, as well as a number of Blu-ray players.

Article Link: Amazon's Set-Top Box Competitor to Apple TV and Roku Launching Before Holidays

Sky Blue · Oct 3, 2013

wow, everybody is getting in on the streaming set top box market.

anthonymoody · Oct 3, 2013

Correction: Amazon Instant Streaming is not available on TiVo. Only (purchased) downloads. No streaming. And yes that includes the latest Roamio boxes.

chumawumba · Oct 3, 2013

We can already airplay instant video, which is the only thing the Apple TV lacked, but now it is pretty much perfect

AngerDanger · Oct 3, 2013

Let's hope they don't repeat the Kindle Fire approach and stick an oddly formatted version of Android on it.

musicianm · Oct 3, 2013

Amazon should be more concerned with making a deal with Apple to have PRIME on AppleTV.

Not making something that only so many people will buy.

giantfan1224 · Oct 3, 2013

I guess I don't understand the need for Amazon to have their own hardware when their video player is available on pretty much any platform. They're not a hardware manufacturer (at least they're not profitable in that arena). They'll probably sell it at cost or for a loss which baffles me why they wouldn't just focus more on making their content the best possible. I understand they want to lock people into the ecosystem but in the end, if their video service and content is the best (cheapest, variety), that will be what ultimately makes them money.

azentropy · Oct 3, 2013

musicianm said:
Amazon should be more concerned with making a deal with Apple to have PRIME on AppleTV.

Not making something that only so many people will buy.

It makes me a bit concerned that they are coming out with their own because they couldn't get a deal done with Apple.

samcraig · Oct 3, 2013

anthonymoody said:
Correction: Amazon Instant Streaming is not available on TiVo. Only (purchased) downloads. No streaming. And yes that includes the latest Roamio boxes.

It's good to see you here Anthony - I feel like I haven't come across your name in a long time.

This will be an interesting product. How many other services will Amazon link up to stream. Will it be bundled with 3/6/12 months of free Prime as a selling point?

Roku has a pretty mature "channel" selection. And there's no doubt that AppleTV despite having it's limitations is favored by many simple for airplay.

And then there's Google Chromecast which is doing pretty well and has a scary price point.

So again - it will be interesting to see how they differentiate theirs...

bryanescuela · Oct 3, 2013

Re:

Aren't there enough setup boxes already to have another one?

milo · Oct 3, 2013

Seems unlikely that it would stream Netflix. And if it doesn't I wouldn't say it's much competition for Roku. I guess they'll announce more info at some point.

street.cory · Oct 3, 2013

Competition is good, but man it's a PITA when all you want to do is watch TV and you have to have Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, HBO Go, and apparently multiple set top boxes to facilitate it.

As of yet, the only set top box that can take care of this is AppleTV.

Rogifan · Oct 3, 2013

giantfan1224 said:
I guess I don't understand the need for Amazon to have their own hardware when their video player is available on pretty much any platform. They're not a hardware manufacturer (at least they're not profitable in that arena). They'll probably sell it at cost or for a loss which baffles me why they wouldn't just focus more on making their content the best possible. I understand they want to lock people into the ecosystem but in the end, if their video service and content is the best (cheapest, variety), that will be what ultimately makes them money.

You forget that Wall Street doesn't give a toss if Amazon makes money or not. As long as Amazon's top line keeps going up and up and up the market doesn't seem to care what happens to the bottom line.

barkomatic · Oct 3, 2013

It doesn't sound like they'll have enough content. Amazon Prime and Instant have a few decent selections, but they are not even close to what Apple TV offers.

GSPice · Oct 3, 2013

street.cory said:
Competition is good, but man it's a PITA when all you want to do is watch TV and you have to have Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, HBO Go, and apparently multiple set top boxes to facilitate it.

There are not enough zeros to be typed after this +1

bawbac · Oct 3, 2013

This would be a perfect "free" or even low cost device to entice people to join Amazon Prime since a huge catalog of content/movies are FREE with Amazon Prime.

Then Amazon could recoup costs when people rent non-prime content.
*They had Iron Man 3 available for streaming 2 weeks before the DVD/blu-ray release for a heavty cost of $19.99.

I have Amazon on my Roku & blu-ray players so this device doesn't really cater or entice people like me.

Hopefully they provide HD/1080p & DD 5.1 audio output via HDMI since the Roku provides these outputs.

samcraig · Oct 3, 2013

milo said:
Seems unlikely that it would stream Netflix. And if it doesn't I wouldn't say it's much competition for Roku. I guess they'll announce more info at some point.

Roku (and I know there are others) is in a good position. They can focus on delivery without (much) concern of who is the provider.

Google, Amazon, Apple - they all have their own content stores.

Both models are OK. But by not having a horse in the race, they are more attractive to 3rd parties.

realeric · Oct 3, 2013

Don't know why Apple don't allow apps for Apple TV.

Gjwilly · Oct 3, 2013

Amazon also trademarked the name "Firetube" so I guess we know what the set-top box is going to be called.

gkarris · Oct 3, 2013

Probably to eventually have their version of AirPlay from their Kindles...

jon3543 · Oct 3, 2013

giantfan1224 said:
I guess I don't understand the need for Amazon to have their own hardware when their video player is available on pretty much any platform. They're not a hardware manufacturer (at least they're not profitable in that arena). They'll probably sell it at cost or for a loss which baffles me why they wouldn't just focus more on making their content the best possible. I understand they want to lock people into the ecosystem but in the end, if their video service and content is the best (cheapest, variety), that will be what ultimately makes them money.

It's part of the Bezos shell game to extend the promise of infinite riches in the face of continual losses for another quarter. At some point, his dart board will be completely covered with darts, and it will be entertaining to watch them start to fall.

bawbac · Oct 3, 2013

barkomatic said:
It doesn't sound like they'll have enough content. Amazon Prime and Instant have a few decent selections, but they are not even close to what Apple TV offers.

Amazon needs to up their content but they've got a good start/foundation.

When did Apple offer free movies or a subscription for $79 or less a year to view a catalog of content?

Over 150,000 top movies and TV shows to rent or buy, including thousands you can watch now at no additional cost as an Amazon Prime member.

http://www.amazon.com/Instant-Video/b/ref=topnav_storetab_mov_aiv?ie=UTF8&node=2858778011

nutmac · Oct 3, 2013

samcraig said:
This will be an interesting product. How many other services will Amazon link up to stream. Will it be bundled with 3/6/12 months of free Prime as a selling point?

If Google can sell ChromeCast at $35, Amazon can give away a set-top box for those with Prime subscription. I mean, it has to. I don't see it capable of streaming contents from competing services such as Netflix and Hulu, so there has to be even strong value proposition.

samcraig · Oct 3, 2013

street.cory said:
Competition is good, but man it's a PITA when all you want to do is watch TV and you have to have Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, HBO Go, and apparently multiple set top boxes to facilitate it.

As of yet, the only set top box that can take care of this is AppleTV.

Come again. Roku has Amazon, Hulu, HBO Go, Netflix, Vudu, and a lot more. It also lets me stream pretty much anything from my computer without the need for iTunes (via the PLEX app)

I love my Apple TV - mostly because I have lots of iTunes credit. And airplay is great. But it's definitely not the only nor strongest horse in the race.

My single wishlist for AppleTV now though you would think would be an easy one. Search. Why, in my library of 700+ movies, can I not search for a title. I have to scroll. Yes, I am aware I can hook up a bluetooth keyboard and hit the first letter to jump) but I'm not hooking up a keyboard just for that.

giantfan1224 · Oct 3, 2013

Rogifan said:
You forget that Wall Street doesn't give a toss if Amazon makes money or not. As long as Amazon's top line keeps going up and up and up the market doesn't seem to care what happens to the bottom line.

That, unfortunately, seems to be true.

Amazon's Set-Top Box Competitor to Apple TV and Roku Launching Before Holidays

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