Amazon Gets To Streaming: Media Mavericks or Playing Catch Up?
Amazon is preparing to battle with Netflix and Google (and Apple?) as it offers streaming TV services, offering shows and movies online. This puts Amazon on par with Android’s goals around streaming, teaming with broadcast networks like Fox and ABC for rentals priced at $.99. It would be yet another media-centric opportunity for Amazon, as it already offers a hefty catalog of content via its online store, Roko Set-top box, some Blu-ray players and Microsoft’s Xbox 360.
Amazon certainly doesn’t want to overlook this huge industry. Other Amazon prospects are NBC Universal, Time Warner and News Corp. Netflix has already spent $200 million for its Epix content, a movie network backed by Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate, with its viewers doubled over the past year. Google TV has high expectations, though details around signed partnerships have been shaky. This quarter, 15 million subscribers watched at least 15 minutes of streaming video, comprising 61 percent of users as compared to the 37 percent around the same time a year ago. The figures are indeed stunning.
Turbo-charge membership is one of Amazon’s tactics to counter this. It would be pretty tough for Amazon to catch up to Netflix, particularly as the on-demand rental service rapidly seeks its own expansion across mobile and other spaces.
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