It looks like Amazon has made good on their promise by introducing the Prime Video service to over 200 other countries around the world, which would mean that Netflix’s global plan will be facing some pretty stiff competition from now on. Prime Video’s worldwide expansion will certainly cause Netflix executives to regroup and think of their next step, as they recently introduced their Netflix service to 130 more countries in January this year. However, both Netflix and Amazon have glossed over China, which is the most populous country in the world. India, however, can now reap the benefits of Prime Video after obtaining Amazon’s Prime service earlier in July this year.
Basically, Prime Video works this way. As long as you are a subscriber to the Amazon Prime package, you would be able to enjoy Prime Video for free. The Amazon Prime package does have its perks, including sped up delivery times as well as discounts when it comes to e-commerce transactions. However, Amazon Prime is not available globally, so for those countries without the option to pick up Amazon Prime, Prime Video will cost more at $5.99 (or €5.99 if you happen to live in Europe) each month.
At the moment, Amazon would be offering a 50% discount for the first six months in order to build up their subscriber base, and if you are the type who is really, really careful about the way you spend money, then you might want to sign up for a free seven day trial instead. In the first place, Prime Video’s monthly subscription fee, even without any discount, would already be more affordable than Netflix’s which will cost at least $7.99 per month.
Amazon Prime Video can be accessed through apps on iOS, Android, as well as Amazon’s own devices in addition to a slew of smart TVs -- and of course, online over at PrimeVideo.com. The service will have offline downloads covered, while its Original content is set to arrive in English, with French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish subtitles with selected markets receiving dubbed versions.
Needless to say, one of the hot ticket items that will pull viewers to Prime Video would be The Grand Tour. The Grand Tour is a remake of British motor show Top Gear, and it was announced with global audiences in mind last month, never mind that only five countries were able to enjoy it at that time. Well, other shows from its Originals programming will include The Man in the High Castle, Transparent, Mozart in the Jungle, and Tumble Leaf, just to get you started. It would be interesting to see how this strong brand presence and name back home fares elsewhere around the world, and whether Amazon would finally release its subscriber figures as a comparison against Netflix’s performance.
Interestingly, while China is given the snub by Prime Video, Taiwan is not. What does this have to say about Amazon’s diplomacy -- is it aligned with president-elect Donald Trump’s? Only conspiracy theorists will be able to tell, but for the 200 plus countries worldwide, it is time to enjoy more options with the availability of Prime Video in your region.
