Amazon Prime Video finally launched in India
When Amazon launched its Prime subscription service in India in the last days of July, all it would let on about its video offering was that it was on the way. Amazon Prime Video has gone live in India and other countries, and will be available to all Amazon Prime members at no extra charge. Amazon Prime Video will now give Amazon Prime users access to new releases, Hollywood movies, Bollywood blockbusters, TV shows, Amazon original series and kids’ programming. The app is available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple app store.
The tag line for the service is ‘Unlimited ad-free streaming of Amazon Originals, premium movies and TV shows from India and around the world’. With the largest selection of ad-free, exclusive new release Indian and Hollywood movies and US TV shows and award-winning Amazon Original Series, Prime Video is an awesome service for anyone who loves movies and TV shows.
The best thing about the Amazon Prime Video service is the fact that if you are already an Amazon Prime customer (shelling out Rs 499 annually) for express delivery of your packages, you have to pay no extra amount to watch video content on the app. Prime members can enjoy reliable, high-quality playback of some of the best shows and movies available including brand new Amazon Original Series with top Indian stars and filmmakers over the next year.
Currently, it is clearly ahead of its competitors in the pricing category because you can subscribe to Prime at just Rs. 499 per year; the full price is supposed to be Rs. 999 per year, though it’s unclear when that comes into effect. At the present rate, that works out to Rs. 41.50 per month for Amazon Prime Video, and even at full price it would be Rs. 83.25 per month. That’s significantly lower than Netflix, where the monthly fee is Rs 650, and it’s also cheaper than homegrown alternatives such as Hotstar, which charges Rs. 190 per month.
Interestingly enough, you can use your Indian Amazon Prime account to view Prime Videos in other countries, at which point you’ll see the catalogue for that country. This means that if you have an Indian account for just Rs. 499, you can still access the full US catalogue of Amazon Prime Video, although the US Prime membership costs $99, or around Rs. 6700.
As with the best of competitors, Prime Video is accessible from all the devices you can think of: be it your phone or tablet (Android or iOS), laptop, desktop, smart TV, and even game consoles.
