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

[MacRumors]

Amazon plans to stop selling some streaming video devices that compete with its Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, reports Bloomberg. It will no longer offer Google's Chromecast or Apple's Apple TV for sale in its online store.

Amazon today sent an email to marketplace sellers notifying them of the upcoming change. The site plans to disallow new listings for the product and remove existing inventory on October 29. As a reason for the removal, Amazon is citing compatibility with its Prime Video streaming service, which is not available on devices from Google and Apple.

"Over the last three years, Prime Video has become an important part of Prime," Amazon said in the e-mail. "It's important that the streaming media players we sell interact well with Prime Video in order to avoid customer confusion."

Other set-top boxes and consoles, including those from Roku, Microsoft, and Playstation, do have apps that allow customers to stream Amazon Prime Video and thus won't be affected by the new ban.

For Apple customers, this means the new fourth-generation Apple TV will not be available for purchase via Amazon.com. It also suggests the device will not be gaining an Amazon video app and will continue to be incompatible with the Amazon Prime Video service.

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

 

[Waxhead138]

And begun they have....the TV Wars.

 

[macsrcool1234]

cant blame em...does apple sell androids?

 

[mdriftmeyer]

I would never buy an Apple product from Amazon.

 

[Tonkah]

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.

 

[Lukkee24]

I would have bought an Apple TV 4G if it had the Amazon Prime app!

 

[JonneyGee]

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.

 

[phantom76]

But what stops them from making a Prime instant app for these platforms?

 

[kds1]

So what. It's not like someone can't walk into an Apple Store and pick one up, or, order one directly from Apple, with free shipping. Apple won't bat an eye. Next.

 

[Olaf.cc]

Makes sense. "DOES NOT SUPPORT PRIME VIDEO" label next to the Apple TV or Chromecast is too hard.

 

[dumastudetto]

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.

 

[Marshall73]

Meh, I will just watch Amazon stuff on my Xbox or PS4. Definitely not buying any of their fire devices.

No idea why they don't just make an app for the new Apple TV, they already have an app for iPhones and iPads.

 

[DavidLeblond]

They know tvOS is open for development, right? So just get in there and develop an Apple TV app, Amazon. Done!

 

[applelover4u]

Gutsy move. I wonder how this will play out

 

[phr0z3n]

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.

 

[FoxMcCloud]

Why not get your service on as many products as possible Amazon? Like the Netflix is everywhere.

Call me crazy..

 

[plantoschka]

I think it will be along time before the new AppleTV get's a proper Amazon Video App. Such a shame because they have a lot of good content.

 

[ChasSC-Mac-Guy]

Sooooo, one less reason to shop at a Amazon, whoop-di-doo. What's their nonexistent marketshare in this niche product area? like 1%? I'm sure Google doesn't give a **** either.

Nothing to see here, move along. LOL

 

[BornAgainMac]

Looks like Taylor Swift needs to write a new letter to resolve this so that Apple TV has the Amazon Prime service.

 

[sevoneone]

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.

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.

 

[netslacker]

That's unfortunate. I was really hoping for an Amazon Prime App in the AppleTV app store.

 

[dmx]

Anti trust investigation in 3, 2, 1...

 

[DavidLeblond]

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.

They allowed them to publish the iPhone/iPad version. So I don't think that's the case.

 

[Marshall73]

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.

Yet, they have Amazon video apps for iPhone and iPad.

Haha jinx DavidLeBlond

 

[kds1]

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