Amazon Instant Video can now stream movies and TV shows in 4K
Amazon today announced Amazon Instant Video has gained support for Ultra HD picture quality. Amazon Prime subscribers can now watch movies, TV shows, and Amazon Original Series content in the higher resolution.
Context & Ripple Effects
Amazon has been building its on-demand video service since its earlier instant-video rollout. In August 2014, Samsung said its UHD TVs would bring Amazon 4K streaming from October, establishing that compatible television hardware was already becoming part of Amazon’s distribution path.
Making Ultra HD available to Prime members turns that device support into a subscription feature, giving Amazon a higher-fidelity way to present movies, television and its original series.
First-order effects
- Prime subscribers with compatible Ultra HD displays gain access to Amazon’s higher-resolution catalog, while Amazon can use picture quality to reinforce the value of Prime membership.
- Amazon Original Series gain another presentation advantage on supported UHD televisions, alongside licensed movies and TV shows.
Second-order effects
- Samsung’s UHD TV integration becomes more commercially relevant because Amazon’s Prime audience has a direct reason to use the display’s 4K capability.
- Rival streaming services seeking placement on UHD televisions face added pressure to match Amazon’s resolution support and compatible-device reach.
Third-order effects
- If UHD support spreads across more devices and catalog titles, streaming-video competition shifts further from basic availability toward the combined control of subscription bundles, premium formats and television-platform distribution.
The trend: Subscription video services are using premium display formats and connected-TV partnerships to differentiate otherwise similar streaming catalogs.