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Wow, you guys really don't get it. Apple (and apparently Google) threw the first punches. Amazon probably has sales data that tells them they are the #1 seller of Chromecast devices, and the #2 seller of Apple TV boxes. They've probably submitted apps and channels to Apple and Google multiple times over the last couple of years, and been rejected or delayed or ignored often enough that they've decided to respond. Apple TV is an also-ran at this point, and if they want to be the market leader, they have to support all of the biggest content providers.
If you a correct being #1 and #2 then they are defeating their whole purpose. they are an online mall who sells stuff. As far as submitting apps to apple, the just announce the app store and SDK last month.
 
This is an interesting development and it's hard to know what's going on behind the scenes here. Given that Apple is creating a tvOS App Store, it's hard to see how Amazon wouldn't be allowed to at least offer a non-default-installed Amazon Instant Video app that functionality equivalent to its iOS app (which allows for viewing of Prime content and non-Prime content already purchased outside the app but doesn't allow for in-app purchasing or renting of content). And I'm sure Apple would not extend the killer feature of the new Apple TV, Siri-powered "universal" search, to Amazon. That feature works only with a few popular Apple-selected apps: iTunes (of course), Netflix, Showtime, Hulu, and HBO. Clearly Amazon Prime, given its popularity, belongs in that club but I don't see Apple allowing it in there. So maybe Amazon decided being a 2nd-class citizen on Apple TV wasn't good enough for them.

On the other hand, perhaps Amazon is willfully withholding their app from Apple TV because it's a direct competitor to the Fire TV. That would seem odd, since Amazon Prime Instant Video really just serves as a selling point to its larger Prime initiative, and they should therefore want to make it as widely available as possible. But then, Amazon drug their feet on bringing their video app to Android and it's still not available for Android TV, except for Sony TVs that come with Android TV built-in. (A hacker was able to take the installer for Amazon Instant Video from such a Sony TV and distribute it so that other Android TV clients could access Amazon. It worked for awhile but then Amazon figured out what was happening and stopped streaming to those clients.) Furthermore, Amazon doesn't support the very popular Chromecast. Again, as with their standoff with Apple, it's hard to tell who's behind the Amazon - Google discord.
 
Might change with the new Apple TV. That app approval process has not been explored at all yet. Apple still has the final say in what goes on to compete with their baked-in services.

As of now we have no reason to believe they would block them. I will definitely agree that anything can happen but if iOS is any example, which it is the best one we have, I don't have any reason to believe that Amazon wouldn't be free to get their app on the new Apple TV
 
This just seems strange to me, especially from Amazon. I could potentially see Apple declining to allow an Amazon Streaming app on the Apple TV, Apple is known to do stuff like that. But it would be really odd for Google to not allow an Amazon Streaming app to have Chromecast capabilities built in. The funny thing is this: Amazon Video is available to install on Android, but to install it you are forced to get it from the Amazon App store and you are also forced to keep the Amazon App store on your device to use the Streaming app.
 
As of now we have no reason to believe they would block them. I will definitely agree that anything can happen but if iOS is any example, which it is the best one we have, I don't have any reason to believe that Amazon wouldn't be free to get their app on the new Apple TV

How many years did they say that there could be no other web browsers except Safari?

I see your point and I also hope I'm wrong... But they have done exactly this in the past.
 
That's not what I said. I said Walmart doesn't remove products that directly compete with their own brands, because it's in their best interest to have people shop at their store no matter what they're buying (which is the case of Amazon as well).
Yes and no. You fail to take into account shopping patterns. Megamarts involve shopping a large amount of products simultaneously. Amazon has most of its sales being single-item.

If a Megamart doesn't stock a specific item, a customer may go to another shop and do all of their purchasing there. Major revenue loss. But for Amazon - you'll only lose the ATV purchases, a minimal immediate revenue loss - but a potential revenue gain long-term from the ability to promote their own brand more.
 
Well, they're not going to give their competitor an out of box place, but they aren't going to stop them from submitting an app like any other developer. It's just kind of good business. Yeah it's a slight jab but they aren't prohibiting anyone.

I certainly hope that is the case, but the approval and in-app purchasing models still need exploration. Apple could just decide to not approve a Prime app. They could decide to approve it, but only if it includes subscription streaming and not in-app purchases of digital content. Even if they do that, would they take their typical 30%? Would that leave enough margin for Amazon to even make money off the digital sale? Are they willing to drop their share and allow other streaming providers to offer in-app sales as well? I don't know. Complexities abound, time will tell.
 
I'll bet this is a fight with Apple over being included in universal search on the new TV.
 
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Better solution: Amazon should release a Prime Video app for the new Apple TV.

This only means Apple users will buy their devices elsewhere and be less likely to subscribe to Amazon Prime.
Not true for me. The cost of owning both is reasonable, Amazon competitive pricing on tunes, movies etc will not make me switch. The new Apple TV may offer other viewing choices that may make owning it beneficial. Love competition especially if you are not tied to the cable bundles.
 
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I don't think they want to, same reason they wont support chromecast or android tv boxes.
I thought their whole thing was that they want you to use their services everywhere. Prime Video was conceived only as a value-add to their Prime Membership so that you keep it and keep buying crap from Amazon over other places because you get your item shipped quickly for free. If they're moving their business model to be more like Apple, then power to them, but I doubt they can pull it off unless they start designing and selling at a premium.
 
You're right, that is my assumption. But given that Prime is nearly ubiquitous across most other streaming-capable devices, it sure does seem like the decision was on Apple's side. But an assumption is an assumption, not a fact, so I could be wrong. It just seems that way: Amazon doesn't seem to care where they sell their Prime subscriptions and digital content, so if Apple wanted Prime on the new Apple TV (or even the current one), I doubt Amazon would say no.

Okay, so here's the thing. SMART apps are on multiple types of devices such as TV's, Blu-Ray Players, Gaming Consoles and SMARTPhones, none of which Amazon makes. For this reason they don't have anything to lose putting the streaming app on them. They do however have much to lose putting their app on TV and Google's Chromecast since Amazon makes a major competing product. Why are you making this only about Apple and not including Google? The article does mention Google.
 
I would never buy an Apple product from Amazon.
Just curious why not? I just checked Apple.com for this Macbook (screenshot) and it is $100 less from Amazon and would be delivered one day sooner from Amazon. Plus I get 3% cash back on my Amazon (Chase) VISA card for all Amazon purchases. So that gets me my new MacBook one day sooner and saves me just over $150. I'm not seeing a downside?

Amazon of course does not offer BTO options, but for a stock model Amazon makes sense to me. To be fair, I have Amazon Prime so I get free two day shipping.

Screen Shot 2015-10-01 at 12.52.13 PM.png
 
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Mobile devices are a different market than home TV. These companies are competing over "the future of TV", as Apple put it.

My theory: Amazon approached Apple about making an Amazon streaming app for tvOS, Apple turned them down, and this is Amazon's retaliation. Perhaps they hope to put enough pressure on Apple to allow the app through.
Of course you're theory would be Apple being a jerk.
 
I'm sorry that's a very poor example using Macys. In this situation with Amazon they have decided to NO LONGER carry a competing product. Not carrying a competing product in the first place is not the same as dumping a competing product that you were selling. That can turn into anti-trust.
Microsoft got asswopped cause they did not allow anything else apart from IE to be the default browser and not being able to uninstall it.....sounds familiar to certain safari on iOS...cannopt be removed and cannot be replaced as default app....(same goes for mail....music .....and many other Apple branded apps...)
 
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Imagine if Apple blocked Amazon.com from every Apple device, iOS and desktop. Don't mess with the bull.
 
I'm certain they would like to, but Apple doesn't let them.

There is no reason whatsoever to believe this. Let's consider facts, rather than making sensationalist guesses.
  • Apple has yet to accept any apps for tvOS, let alone reject any.
  • Apple has accepted several Amazon apps, including Instant Video, for their iOS App Store.
While I personally feel that it is unbecoming of a retailer the size of Amazon to pull their competitor's devices, their excuse at least holds water— for the current generation of Apple TV. The real test will be whether or not they carry the new Apple TV— when that ships, it will be Amazon's own fault if it doesn't have an Amazon Instant Video app available for it.
 
I thought their whole thing was that they want you to use their services everywhere. Prime Video was conceived only as a value-add to their Prime Membership so that you keep it and keep buying crap from Amazon over other places because you get your item shipped quickly for free. If they're moving their business model to be more like Apple, then power to them, but I doubt they can pull it off unless they start designing and selling at a premium.

Aye indeed, it is strange that amazon only draws the line in the sand when it comes to TV boxes. They really want all of us to buy fire TV's I guess. Except that logic falters when it is also available on ps4, xbone, smart tv's, and roku. But android and ios tv boxes are off limits! :p
 
RoKu cannot be considered agnostic if it doesn't have Apple's iTunes or any of Apple's services on it. Please don't write back and say that's Apple's walled garden. I'm just clearing up your not-so-correct post.
I shall write back to say that Apple clearly has never shown any willingness to put its video services on any platform other than Apple hardware. Which is fine, Apple is a hardware company that uses services and software to sell its high-margin hardware. But it indicates to me that the absence of iTunes video on Roku is Apple's decision, not Roku's. Roku even has Google Play, a provider I failed to originally mention, and this despite the fact that Roku does not run a Google-backed OS (Android or Chrome OS). So when you have a hardware maker that offers no streaming service of its own and has EVERYONE except Apple on board, yeah, I'm calling that agnostic. I would bet that Roku would be delighted to offer apps for iTunes and Apple Music but that will never happen because Roku is a major competitor that outsells the Apple TV.
 
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Microsoft got asswopped cause they did not allow anything else apart from IE to be the default browser and not being able to uninstall it.....sounds familiar to certain safari on iOS...cannopt be removed and cannot be replaced as default app....(same goes for mail....music .....and many other Apple branded apps...)
Bad example. We're talking about removing a product that was actually being sold through a retail environment. Thanks for that farfetched example though. Needed a good laugh. :p
 
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