Prime Video to add advertisements to its content

Streaming giant Amazon Prime Video will be including “limited advertisements” in their movies and series from June 17. In an email sent to its subscribers, the streaming service also mentioned that if users wish to go ad-free, they have to shell out an additional Rs 699 a year or Rs 129 per month.

Prime stated that they are taking this step in order to “continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time.” The email also stated, “We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than TV channels and other streaming services.”

Amazon currently offers different tiers of Prime membership in India. Prime Shopping Edition costs Rs 399 per year, Prime Lite is priced at Rs 799 per year, and the standard Prime membership costs Rs 1,499 per year. The standard plan includes all benefits, such as Prime Video (with ads), Amazon Music, and more. Prime Video can be accessed on smartphones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs, and the app is available on almost every major operating system. While the Prime Lite limits the streaming resolution to 720p, regular subscription offers content with up to 4K resolution.

With this move, users seeking a premium streaming experience with ad-free access and up to 4K quality will need to spend up to Rs 2,798 per year. This is slightly more than JioCinema Premium (Hotstar), but significantly less than Netflix, which charges Rs 649 per month for its 4K ad-free subscription.