Amazon to Cease Selling Apple TV, Google Chromecast Over 'Prime Video' Incompatibility

[Gasu E.]

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.

What are you talking about? Amazon Instant Video and Kindle apps are right there on the iOS App Store. You keep throwing out assertions and "probably" this and that without any supporting evidence. With your "you guys don't get it", you lecture everyone based on a theory that exists entirely in your head that is inconsistent with the one piece of hard evidence that exists.

 

[Elbon]

Amazon wants Prime Video on the Chromecast and Apple TV. Google and Apple are blocking them, not the other way around.

Can you provide any information to back that up?

 

[Toltepeceno]

Seems fair, just like Apple stopped selling a few competing products themselves. That sounds like it's looking at the world from an Apple-centric view, so just take that as an example.

Exactly, applebots always have selective outrage.

 

[Elbon]

I'll nullify your decision by not buying the new Apple TV. No Amazon Prime support, no sale.

Um, that's not exactly "nullifying" anything. Apple still gets my money, and Amazon doesn't.

 

[Gasu E.]

Unless this was sarcasm this is just blatant fanboi'ism that makes Apple people seem mentally unstable. Apple TV has been around for a long long time and has not "usered in a new era" of tv.

Yes, it's always that other guy who is the mentally unstable one, isn't it?

 

[Rigby]

Netflix, Hulu, Vudu all exist in the iOS world already and Apple doesn't care.

iTunes doesn't have a subscription service for movies/TV shows, and Netflix/Hulu don't sell movies/TV shows. So none of them competes directly with iTunes. Amazon, on the other hand, does. So does Vudu, which is also not on Apple TV.

 

[easy4lif]

called this 3 months ago

"the biggest thing will be if they allow amazon's prime tv service on the device".

for me, amazon kicking out apple and google out of their store is simply because they wont let amazons prime service on their platforms.

petty, but predictable especially since they signed the top gear guys. if the new top gear, or whatever they call it, takes off amazon will get a ton more prime members

 

[meegwell]

I don't think it is a matter of Amazon not wanting to make an App for the AppleTV. It is Apple not allowing them to publish it. Apple sees Amazon as a direct competitor to iTunes... and they are.

This is not lofgical since Apple supports plenty of streaming services (um, Netflix, Hulu, etc. etc etc).

Sorry but Amazon looks bad here.

 

[WilliamG]

Wow - Amazon is making a big mistake.. if you don't want to be part of the TV revolution then you will be left behind. The new Apple TV will usher in a new era of TV that will make all other streaming devices obsolete.

I don't see any "new era" of TV with the new Apple TV, personally. Just looks like a refinement of what already was. I don't think it's going to be anywhere near as popular as Apple wants it to be.

 

[d0minick]

This is abusive. Amazon will lose a lot of very loyal Apple customers as a result of this. I know I'll never buy another thing from Amazon now they've decided to try and hurt sales of the Apple TV. I hope hundreds of millions of other people take a similar stand.

i look at the usename, then i look at the comment, i look at the username, then i look at the comment. I am still unsure which way i should understand it.

anywho honey boo boo, i love my amazon prime, i could not care less about apple tv, i dont give two hoots about prime video (it sucks), and im not sure where im going with this. I just watch espn. wish i could buy it for $15 a month.

I think this hurts the customers overall. Amazon is spreading themselves too thin and it doesn't pays out all the time (Fire phone really?)

unfortunately your correct. Amazon loses $ on everything and i love that their willing to go the distance but they lack focus. I think ive used the prime tv 0 times and prime audio once.

 

[fxmx42]

I think this hurts the customers overall. Amazon is spreading themselves too thin and it doesn't pays out all the time (Fire phone really?)

 

[charlien]

Too bad for Amazon. As a prime member I was set to order 5 (3 for me and 2 for my kids). Oh well. Guess I'll order them somewhere else. Hows that hissy fit working for you Amazon?

 

[zorinlynx]

Does Amazon even make much money from hardware sales? Their hardware is priced so low that I doubt they're making much above costs.

You'd think they'd want their services to be available on as many devices as possible, since that's where the real (recurring!) money is.

Pretty foolish of them I think to play these games!

 

[rickpoet]

Whether or not they sell Apple TV isn't as much of an issue for me as Amazon Prime Video not being available on Apple TV. I don't have an Apple TV and I kind of really "want to want" one...but with every device (TV, Blue Ray Players, Game Consoles) including everyone else's apps with their devices I don't have much incentive to get one if it's not going to include all of my viewing sources (in this case a Prime Video app.) Guess I'll be clunkily loading up HBO Go and Amazon Prime via the Xbox 360 Interface until Apple and Amazon to agree to hug it out.

 

[Elbon]

One person will not hurt them

This is why you're not the CEO of Amazon (or any other company, I'd guess).

 

[Stella]

Oh, OK.. its Amazon's store, they get to choose what is sold... buy your AppleTV for elsewhere. Simple.

 

[easy4lif]

I think this hurts the customers overall. Amazon is spreading themselves too thin and it doesn't pays out all the time (Fire phone really?)

i dont think so, I currently have netflix, hulu plus and itunes for media consumption. If apple had added amazon prime tv service, I think amazon would have received at least 25% up tick in prime subscriptions at the cost of the next most expensive service, iTunes.

 

[nt5672]

Never mind.

 

[H2SO4]

I would never buy an Apple product from Amazon.

Unless it’s a moral stance to do with slave labour or something else personal this has to be one of the most ridiculous posts I’ve read. Just bought a brand new wireless KB + TC myself for £105.
Yes, that’s £15 cheaper than the Apple Main Stealer.

 

[Flood123]

Though it is a bummer I can't exactly say I blame them. Not to mention that if any purchase or rental were to happen through the amazon app Apple takes 30% of the sale thus destroying the profit margin for the company selling the content. We deal with the same issue with the video streaming service I work for. Apple just basically boxes you out.

 

[paradox00]

OK, you guys have some real reading comprehension issues. Amazon wants Prime Video on the Chromecast and Apple TV. Google and Apple are blocking them, not the other way around.

Reading comprehension doesn't involve making things up. While Amazon may hope that people believe they've been blocked from working with those devices, they didn't say that, and it's unlikely to be true.

 

[Elbon]

Oh, OK.. its Amazon's store, they get to choose what is sold... buy your AppleTV for elsewhere. Simple.

I don't disagree with you there. Apple has pulled similar stunts. I just think that it's short-sighted, if they are hoping to expand their Prime video business. I'd like to be able to consider Amazon Prime as an alternative to Netflix and Hulu. If they don't support the Apple TV (which is what I use at home), then I can't do that.

 

[easy4lif]

either way, i planned on getting my Apple TV thru Apple Directly. so this wont effect me in the slightest

 

[AlphaTeam]

If they were truly concerned about their customers needs, they would spend more time preventing their review system from being faked or gamed, and their resellers from posting inaccurate product images/descriptions.

This decree that they just made is more of a hissy-fit than a solution to a problem.

You are aware Amazon can work on multiple problems at at time right?

This is abusive. Amazon will lose a lot of very loyal Apple customers as a result of this. I know I'll never buy another thing from Amazon now they've decided to try and hurt sales of the Apple TV. I hope hundreds of millions of other people take a similar stand.

Abusive..LOL. Amazon can choose to sell what they want. Is it "abusive" if I go to a Toyota dealer and they won't sell me a Ford?

Apple doesn't need Amazon. That's just a fact.

Amazon doesn't need Apple either.

The real victims here are the lawyers, their phones are blowing up right now.

Why?

This is hilarious because amazon is shooting themselves in the foot. They are more or less an online retailer like a retail walmart, they have thousands of different products. This puts them in a different market then say Apple who basically makes all their own products for their retail stores and then tosses in a few they deem worthy that others make. Amazon should just make an application that works with all platforms and still sell other products, competition or not they still have customers coming to their website looking for different ventures. If a customer can't get it from them because they decided not to sell it any further they'll go else where. Frankly if I was amazon I would want to sell AppleTV, then under cut it by selling your device cheaper and advertise that on your own website!

One little product is a drop in the bucket for Amazon. Why promote a competitor in an emerging market?

 

[HenryDJP]

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.

Your keywords here are "They've Probably". Which says you know nothing about the situation and are making up scenarios to justify Amazon's arrogant and insecure actions.