While Apple and Amazon compete in the world of earbuds, smart speakers, and streaming set-top boxes, the two technology behemoths are partnering on the best streaming services. Later in October 2024, Apple TV Plus will be available to Prime Video subscribers in the US as an add-on subscription at $9.99 a month – we don't yet know if Apple and Amazon plan to offer this option to users in the UK and elsewhere.
That’s the same price as a subscription to Apple TV Plus, but the addition to Prime Video is a big one. Amazon’s streaming service and application is already home to a boatload of its own content, but the big appeal – and the company’s hope – is that it’s the one-stop shop for all of your streaming needs. Depending on where you're located, you can already add on subscriptions for Showtime, Max, or Paramount Plus, among others, so Apple TV Plus is a welcome addition.
Prime Video already has subscription add-ons for more than 100 streaming services, so from a billing perspective, it all happens in one place and in one application. Meaning that, if you’re setting up a new TV or traveling, you don’t need to worry about downloading several apps. The big appeal is that it’s all housed within Prime Video, allowing you to have one destination to find the content you want and start streaming quickly… regardless of who’s hosting it.
In the accompanying release, Apple’s SVP of Services, Eddy Cue, states: “We want to make Apple TV Plus and its award-winning library of series and films from the world’s greatest storytellers available to as many viewers as possible.” Considering Prime Video and Apple TV Plus are both available in a large area, this seems more about convenience. For folks already in Amazon’s ecosystem, it could be easier to get subscribers streaming Ted Lasso, Shrinking, or The Morning Show – if you’re new to Apple TV Plus, check out our seven top picks to start with on Apple TV Plus here.
Mike Hopkins, Senior Vice President and Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios said in a statement, “As we continue to expand our offering and make it easy for customers to personalize their streaming experience directly in one app, we are proud to welcome Apple TV Plus and its popular and critically-acclaimed shows, films and events to Prime Video.” He also called Prime Video “a first-stop entertainment destination offering a wide selection of premium programming,” both from Amazon’s own studios, streaming live events like Thursday Night Football in the US, and from partners like Apple TV Plus – and that has us thinking about the future.
Could Prime Video be preparing a bundle or super bundle?
We’ve seen countless bundles emerge in the world of streaming services – the ‘mega Disney bundle gives you Disney Plus, ESPN, and Hulu, while Comcast’s StreamSaver gives Netflix, Apple TV Plus, and Peacock, but it’s only available for select folks. You can even get Disney Plus and Max together. Suffice to say it’s a cluttered space.
But with Apple TV Plus joining Prime Video as an add-on and Amazon clearly aiming to court all of the streaming services into one place, redesigning the app to focus on letting you find the content you want when you want it all while reducing buffering and continuing to harness the power of its infrastructure and backbone – a hat tip to AWS – we have to wonder if a bundle, set of bundles, or even a super bundle is on the horizon.
Prime Video could offer a plan at potentially any price – maybe $15, $25, or $30 a month for subscribers in the US – giving you access to the larger libraries of Apple TV Plus as well as Max, Paramount Plus, Discovery Plus, Showtime, and Stars. It might not be that far-reaching, but imagine bundling ‘Channels’ – the name Amazon dubs its add-on streaming services – for a compelling price, all available in one app that’s on all the major platforms. Pretty sweet.
There is no guarantee that’s the case, but Amazon’s Prime Video continues to be one to watch as it brings more Channels to the table in a move that seems to aim at increasing convenience and lowering confusion. Either way, it’s nice to see Apple TV Plus joining Prime Video, and it should let you watch Ted Lasso, catch a Thursday Night Football game, watch Messi on MLS Season Pass, and then maybe try out the musical show Schmigadoon!
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