Amazon Prime Video is set to include advertisements on the platform starting January 29th next year for the US, UK, Germany, and Canada. The company plans to expand ads to customers in France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Australia later in the year.
The company asserts that this strategic shift aims to sustain investments in compelling content, emphasising maintaining fewer ads than traditional linear TV and other streaming services.
“We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers. No action is required from you, and there is no change to the current price of your Prime membership. We will also offer a new ad-free option for an additional $2.99 per month,” the company said.
In an email dispatched to Prime members, Amazon outlined the upcoming shift. The company also assured the customers that the cost of their Prime membership remains unaffected. The missive also presented an alternative for those desiring an ad-free experience: for an additional $2.99 per month, users can opt to continue their streaming without interruptions.
Amazon Prime currently stands at $14.99 monthly or $139 annually, with Prime Video available independently for $8.99 monthly.
The introduction of ad-free streaming for an extra $2.99 per month would bring the total cost of Prime to just under $18, while standalone Prime Video would be priced just under $12.
Other streaming services, like Disney, are raising subscription rates and incorporating advertisements into their most affordable plans. Amazon, however, is offering customers the option to maintain their current ad-free experience at an additional cost, thereby attempting to preserve its competitive edge.
Amazon Prime benefits include exclusive deals on Prime Day, access to 100 million podcasts and songs, photo storage, and other benefits.
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