by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
December 28, 2023
Amazon Prime Video becomes the newest streaming service to include commercials in its content, starting Jan. 29 for all users in the U.S.
Amazon Prime Video users should expect ads to become a mainstay in their content streaming next year. The platform has announced that commercials will become part of programming for all standard customers, with a paid opt-out available.
According to Indiewire, ads will be the default option for those choosing to keep their Amazon Prime Video, starting on Jan. 29. The shift to include commercials was first announced in June by the Wall Street Journal, becoming part of the shift for content platforms to do so. The streamer was one of the last to be ad-free in its content, with Apple TV+ now the sole primary competitor left with no commercials for users.
Hulu, Max, Netflix, and Disney+ have ad-supported options or are initiating steps to incorporate them. All streamers have increased monthly prices over the years, with streaming plans for Amazon Prime Video, separate from Prime shipping, starting at $8.99 a month. However, users who utilize the streaming option as part of their Prime subscription can have both for $14.99 monthly.
With the recent news of the new ad roll-out, no additional information was offered on how the commercials will become part of the streaming. Whether or not the ads would be placed at the beginning or interspersed throughout the content remains unclear, but their inclusion will be featured in both Prime Video’s television shows and films. However, the streamer has proclaimed that their ads are set to be “meaningful” and “fewer” to not disrupt the viewer experience as much as possible.
Those who would rather keep their streaming uninterrupted will have to pay an additional $2.99 a month for the ad-free service. All users will be opted into the commercials option, with streamers in the U.S., UK, Germany, and Canada to be the first to experience the updated version.
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