Amazon Prime Video Content To Start Including Ads

Prime introducing ads?!

Amazon’s Prime Video to introduce ads in 2024, mirroring industry trends. Subscribers in select countries can opt for an ‘ad-free’ tier at an additional cost. Despite initial customer disappointment, analysts believe Amazon’s diverse offerings and convenience factors will continue to attract subscribers.

Amazon intends to introduce ads with its Prime Video streaming service in 2024 to support its “interest” in content creation. Starting in early 2024, Prime supporters in the UK, the US, Germany, and Canada will see promotions except if they decide to pay extra for an “Ad-free” choice, which will be $2.99 per month in the US and  £8.99 in the UK (Rest of the countries pricing will be confirmed later). This follows comparable advances taken by contenders like Disney+ and Netflix.

Amazon also plans to expand ad integration to France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Australia later in the same year. 

Amazon’s reason for introducing ads is to fund compelling, better content and increase investment. However, customers have expressed disappointment, echoing reactions from other streaming providers that added ads. 

(Cute skip ad image?)

Disney+ recently introduced ad-supported services in the UK. At the same time, Netflix launched a “basic with ads” streaming plan the previous year, marking a significant shift from its traditional ad-free, subscription-based model.

Despite many customer concerns about ads in paid services, analysts believe Amazon can navigate this transition effectively since streaming is just one facet of the Prime package. The convenience and diverse offerings continue attracting subscribers, but how long will it continue?

Amazon aspires to maintain lower ad volume than traditional TV and streaming platforms. They plan to notify Prime members a few weeks before ad integration, offering the option to sign up for the ad-free plan. But, live event broadcasts like sports matches will continue to include ads even for ad-free subscribers.

A rising cost of living recently prompted a reduction in paid video streaming subscriptions in the UK. Kantar analysts reported a decline from 30.5 million to 28.5 million subscriptions. While demand surged during the holiday season, people sought ways to cut back afterward.

Industry experts see ad-supported tiers as a standard offering in the streaming sector, paving the way for Amazon’s decision. Despite Amazon’s customer-centric reputation, this move aligns with industry trends, providing a new revenue stream as Prime subscription prices have increased by 75% since their inception.

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