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Amazon Prime Video will include advertising during shows and movies starting early next year, the streaming giant confirmed on September 22. Ads in Prime Video content will be initially introduced in countries including the US, UK, Germany, and Canada in early 2024. Prime Video users in France, Italy, Spain and Mexico will start seeing ads later next year. Amazon has introduced a new ad-free option as well. Amazon Prime members in the US can pay $2.99 (roughly Rs. 200) a month to access ad-free services. The latest move by Amazon Prime Video follows the launch of similar plans by rivals Netflix and Walt Disney.
Starting early next year, Amazon plans to add limited advertisements to Prime Video movies and shows, the company announced through an official release on Friday. The company says the move is to “continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time.” Prime Video subscribers in the US along with those in the UK, Germany and Canada will see ads starting early next year. Prime Video users in France, Italy, Spain and Mexico will start seeing ads later in the same year.
Prime Video users in the US can purchase an “ad-free” option at an additional cost of $2.99 per month. Amazon says it will share pricing for other countries at a later date.
For users in the US, Amazon said it will send out an email to Prime members several weeks before ads are introduced into its programs with details on how to sign up for the ad-free option if they would like. Amazon says it aims to have “meaningfully fewer” ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.
Amazon’s new initiative to include commercials during movies and shows is not a first-of-its-kind feature in the streaming space. Amazon’s major rivals in the market, Netflix and Disney+ also launched similar ad-supported services earlier.
Amazon Prime Video membership currently costs $8.99 (roughly Rs. 600) per month in the US. Amazon is currently charging Rs. 1,499 annually for Prime membership, Rs. 599 for three months, and Rs. 299 per month in India.