Amazon Prime Instant Video - first impression

Amazon has activated the instant video offer for all Prime customers. For existing Prime customers the price will remain the same until the next renewal, so the video offer is free for these customers. Since I am one of these customers, this is my first impression.

After Amazon Prime Instant Video has been integrated into Amazon Prime, the new functions can be found simply under the corresponding menu item after logging in to Amazon. Even though Amazon advertises a good 12,000 movies and series, I am currently (as of 09.03.2014) offered 2,108 contents for direct streaming.
The offer is the same as with all providers (alternatively I also use Watchever and Netflix) is mixed up with regard to current films: the latest is "Star Trek: Into Darkness„. Altogether one can say however, that many interesting films are in the offer, among them also rather unknown titles like Angel-A by Luc Besson.

Streaming with Amazon Prime Instant Video

Amazon supports various streaming devices for Prime Instant Video, first and foremost of course their own Kindle-HD (from 79,- Euro) and Kindle HDX tablets (starting at 229,- Euro). HD streaming is also supported on a variety of devices, a full listing is available directly from Amazon. Interesting: currently there is support for Amazon Kindle HD/HDX, but not for other Android devices. Actually it shouldn't be a problem for Amazon to provide a corresponding app.

On PC or Mac (also connected to the TV) Amazon uses Microsoft's Silverlight, HD streaming is also only possible if the output device supports HDCP.

Conclusion

With Prime Instant Video, Amazon has introduced a video streaming service in Germany more or less unsolicited and made it available to a broad user base. Considering the other services (such as faster delivery times, no shipping costs for Prime products, etc.) and the price of 49 euros per year, video streaming is practically free. However, if you only want to use the advantages without video streaming, you will pay extra in the future at Amazon Prime.

Irrespective of this, it is good that there is movement in the German video streaming market - even if this could lead to further splitting of rights, as is already the case with television broadcasting. It remains to be seen when and if Netflix will enter the market as one of the largest streaming providers.