Remember when we all started paying for streaming video to firstly get shows on demand but also to avoid pesky and annoying ads all the time. Soon Amazon will start charging more if you want to avoid ads, with “limited advertisements” coming to their standard subscription.
Amazon has begun sending out emails to Amazon Prime Video subscribers stating that as of January 29 they will begin inserting ads into Prime Video shows and if you want to remove said ads you will need to pay an extra US$3 a month. While Amazon Prime Video is relatively cheap given all the other benefits you get from a Prime membership, US$3 is not nothing, especially when you add the Australia tax onto it so this increase may just be that straw that breaks the camel’s back for some.
The ads are in lieu of a price increase that other streaming companies have done already — Netflix are already offering a subscription level with ads included — and Amazon has said that the shows and movies will include “limited advertisements.”
The ads are being introduced to allow Prime Video to “continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time.” If you’re like me though, you may dispute the compelling content part of that statement when you spend extended periods of time actually finding something compelling to watch (on all of the streaming video options).
The ads will be rolling out firstly to the US, UK, Germany and Canada with Australia joining other countries “later in the year.” Just when this will be is unknown but keep a close eye on your emails or on EFTM.com for more information in the coming months.
Although I personally will be unlikely to cancel my Amazon Prime membership given all of the other benefits from it, I will certainly be looking at using some of the local free streaming options such as SBS OnDemand and ABC iView, both of which have surprisingly extensive catalogues. Don’t forget about the offerings from 7,9 and 10 as well — if you are going to get ads on services you pay for, maybe the free ones (with ads already) can offer what you want.
