Amazon Banning Sale Of Apple, Google Video-Streaming Devices

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I can see why Amazon decided to do this, but I honestly think it is better to make money off selling competitors products that to stop selling them altogether.

The Seattle-based Web retailer sent an e-mail to its marketplace sellers that it will stop selling Apple TV and Google’s Chromecast. No new listings for the products will be allowed and posting of existing inventory will be removed Oct. 29, Amazon said. Amazon’s streaming service, called Prime Video, doesn’t run easily on its rival’s hardware.
 
damn i was a few minutes too late lol.

Yea that is of course their right to do but seems poor taste.
 
And this might be the fall of Amazon's store. They are too picky about what they sell these days. I want a store where I can get everything.
 
wonder if they will do this later down the line with Roku, they say they wont at least for now I guess lol
 
So if I'm a Prime subscriber or I pay to rent a movie I can't stream the stuff I pay you for through my choice of devices? Fuck off, Amazon!

But it's not like anyone couldn't have seen this coming. Amazon wants to be the next Apple-like walled garden.
 
Ordeith said:
And that store would be??
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The next contender to take amazons place. Not overnight but actions like these can be bad for business relationships. rakutan if they stepped up their game a bit could get more spotlight.
 
Are they banning the sale of any cell phones not an Amazon device as well?

I have no problem with Amazon selling products that compete against them, but when you have a business that lets others sell stuff through you banning competing objects is directly hurting your customers who may not use you as a service any more.
 
Dwango said:
So if I'm a Prime subscriber or I pay to rent a movie I can't stream the stuff I pay you for through my choice of devices? Fuck off, Amazon!

But it's not like anyone couldn't have seen this coming. Amazon wants to be the next Apple-like walled garden.
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Savi said:
wonder if they will do this later down the line with Roku, they say they wont at least for now I guess lol
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They said they're removing them because you can't stream Prime on those devices; which is why they're leaving the Roku up there.
 
I am sure they have done the calculation and the billions at stake from an effective subscriber base for Prime most likely outweigh the millions in potential profits from the sale of competing devices that don't allow them to compete fairly ... if Apple and Google were willing to let Prime have at them on a level playing field then this wouldn't be an issue ... Amazon isn't banning Roku or blu ray players that have effective implementations of Prime on them ;)
 
Chromecast is just a receiver, Google is not stopping anyone.
I login,start movie/tv show, in chrome hit "google cast" button and bam! prime video playing on 60" TV.
Amazon does not want to add chromecast to its apps.
You can see here http://chromecasthelp.net/
 
TwistedAegis said:
They said they're removing them because you can't stream Prime on those devices; which is why they're leaving the Roku up there.
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This is a dead simple fix. Allow the sale but make sure there is a disclosure on the item's page that says which streaming services it does support.

Win for Amazon because they still get a device sold and make profit via an item in their warehouse or 3rd party referral. Win for manufacturer and 3rd party merchant.
 
cp454 said:
Chromecast is just a receiver, Google is not stopping anyone.
I login,start movie/tv show, in chrome hit "google cast" button and bam! prime video playing on 60" TV.
Amazon does not want to add chromecast to its apps.
You can see here http://chromecasthelp.net/
Click to expand...

And why should they support Google's proprietary lock in crap? vendors do so at their own eventual peril. Google could (and should) add some standards support back into the Chromecast instead.
 
Darunion said:
The next contender to take amazons place. Not overnight but actions like these can be bad for business relationships. rakutan if they stepped up their game a bit could get more spotlight.
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"Rakuten". :D Thanks for the laugh.
 
sfsuphysics said:
Are they banning the sale of any cell phones not an Amazon device as well?

I have no problem with Amazon selling products that compete against them, but when you have a business that lets others sell stuff through you banning competing objects is directly hurting your customers who may not use you as a service any more.
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Except cellphones aren't primarily media streaming devices. This is definitely an eyebrow raising move on Amazon's part, but when the devices they're banning support Netflix, I can see how Amazon might want to "encourage" Apple and Google to support Prime video as well.

The same maneuvers certainly wouldn't be beneath Google and Apple if they were in Amazon's position, based on how we've seen both companies act to protect their interests in other ways.
 
TwistedAegis said:
They said they're removing them because you can't stream Prime on those devices; which is why they're leaving the Roku up there.
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Huh?

Unless I misunderstood you, I have a Roku 2 XS and a Roku 3 that I stream Amazon Prime through just fine on the app that is included on the device.
 
Darunion said:
Yea that is of course their right to do but seems poor taste.
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It would've been poor taste if they banned Roku and TiVo too. I would've made a stink about that. And I don't think they ever will. But I won't lose any sleep about Chromecast or the AppleTV- in my mind vastly inferior OTT devices compared to Amazon & Roku.
 
freakysqeeky said:
We have lost our privacy and now we will lose our choice. When does this shit stop!
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Going to apple.com or wherever google sells there stuff is a loss of choice? It's Amazon's choice what to carry, and if it's a competitor's hardware that locks out their software, seems an obvious business choice to me.
 
I still have never seen the need to ever use one of these devices personally. They seem like great devices to setup for your grandparents, assuming they don't already have a Smart TV or any DVD/BlueRay player made in the last 5 years which probably has streaming capability built-in.

I just maintain an HTPC made for free out of older components. Every few years I throw together a new one based on newer old components. Why would I want to pay for a device that gives me limited functionality compared to an HTPC and turns me into a tool for a company with an agenda? Still haven't figured that one out yet.
 
GotNoRice said:
I still have never seen the need to ever use one of these devices personally. They seem like great devices to setup for your grandparents, assuming they don't already have a Smart TV or any DVD/BlueRay player made in the last 5 years which probably has streaming capability built-in.

I just maintain an HTPC made for free out of older components. Every few years I throw together a new one based on newer old components. Why would I want to pay for a device that gives me limited functionality compared to an HTPC and turns me into a tool for a company with an agenda? Still haven't figured that one out yet.
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Simplicity.

I use a roku, yet, I also have an HTPC. I prefer to actually do my streaming through the Roku. It's just easier. I deal with less bugs and updates that usually break whatever I currently have running. Now, my HTPC is mostly just to surf porn and play steam games. I'm fine with that.
 
Wouldn't this fall under anti competitive practices?
 
GotNoRice said:
I still have never seen the need to ever use one of these devices personally. They seem like great devices to setup for your grandparents, assuming they don't already have a Smart TV or any DVD/BlueRay player made in the last 5 years which probably has streaming capability built-in.

I just maintain an HTPC made for free out of older components. Every few years I throw together a new one based on newer old components. Why would I want to pay for a device that gives me limited functionality compared to an HTPC and turns me into a tool for a company with an agenda? Still haven't figured that one out yet.
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Because these devices are cheap and do their simple jobs extremely well while consuming just a few watts of power.
 
Dwango said:
So if I'm a Prime subscriber or I pay to rent a movie I can't stream the stuff I pay you for through my choice of devices? Fuck off, Amazon!

But it's not like anyone couldn't have seen this coming. Amazon wants to be the next Apple-like walled garden.
Click to expand...

Actually amazon is on your side. They are banning players that do not work, or work well with their service. Roku is fine, apple and google are not. I suspect this less about protecting device sales and more about trying to pressure them into supporting prime video.

Unless of course they are lying out their asses. I haven't used either of them, so all I have is their explanation. I've got a roku myself.
 
Guess this means my Apple TV will never get an Amazon streaming app. At least the Xbox still does. Lets hope it stays that way.
 
In the case of AppleTV, I'm guessing Amazon objects to Apple's market place rules. For iOS, Apple retains 30% of proceeds for items purchased from within an app. I believe the Kindle app for iOS no longer allows purchase of books (as they are digital). Otherwise, Amazon would lose out on 30%.
Amazon Video has a lot of content that can be purchased. I'm sure Amazon does not want to share this with Apple.
Back to Amazon Video. I'm a Prime member and have tried watching Prime. I am not a big fan. I prefer Netflix and Hulu Plus as I generally find more content I want to watch. About half the time I find a show I might watch on Amazon, it costs extra money. I wish they allowed content to be sorted by free/paid!

Oh well.. grip fest over. It's all about choice. I won't be canceling my Amazon Prime. If I decide I want the other devices, I'll just pick them up elsewhere.
 
It took FOREVER to get a Prime Video app for Android, and when it did come out the install process was like a fucking Scott Adams Adventure Game.

Boy did I just date myself or what there...
 
Wait, they are banning devices because of poor support for Amazon Video? Isn't it Amazon's responsibility to maintain the app for this service? Doesn't the Chromecast play whatever you broadcast to it? Really they are doing it because it is a direct competitor to their own products. Ironically the Fire TV OS is just a crippled version of Android.
 
atom said:
Wait, they are banning devices because of poor support for Amazon Video? Isn't it Amazon's responsibility to maintain the app for this service? Doesn't the Chromecast play whatever you broadcast to it? Really they are doing it because it is a direct competitor to their own products. Ironically the Fire TV OS is just a crippled version of Android.
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The problem is Amazon isn't allowed to put an app on those devices in the first place. Meanwhile they allow Netflix. Amazon does have a point.
 
Seems a bit daft.

With there being an iPhone/iPad app for Amazon Prime Video, unless Apple are blocking such an app for the new Apple TV, I'm not sure what the problem is. The coding delta for tvOS is almost non-existent.

As much as I use my Prime subscription, and as much money as I spend with Amazon every year, I'm an Apple user (no Windows, outside of VMs for development work, no Android) - if your content is not available on iOS and OS X then I won't see it.
 
DPI said:
The problem is Amazon isn't allowed to put an app on those devices in the first place. Meanwhile they allow Netflix. Amazon does have a point.
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Quit arguing with facts! I know nothing about Apple products so that's my bad. Still though, the Chromecast? Can't you just broadcast Amazon Video to it just like you have to for Netflix?
 
holy crap what is this? Google says they won't support Prime on their devices, Amazon responds by not selling Google's devices, and somehow Amazon is seen as the bad guy in this situation?

The far more interesting topic is "Google's devices do not support Prime streaming, despite supporting lots of others"

Why aren't Apple and Google supporting Prime, but supporting Netflix and others? This is what I want to know. I'd tell Apple and Google to eat a dick if I was Amazon too.
 
GotNoRice said:
I still have never seen the need to ever use one of these devices personally. They seem like great devices to setup for your grandparents, assuming they don't already have a Smart TV or any DVD/BlueRay player made in the last 5 years which probably has streaming capability built-in.

I just maintain an HTPC made for free out of older components. Every few years I throw together a new one based on newer old components. Why would I want to pay for a device that gives me limited functionality compared to an HTPC and turns me into a tool for a company with an agenda? Still haven't figured that one out yet.
Click to expand...

While I agree with most of your statement, the cheap streaming devices are really nice to use for the bedroom or secondary TV's. I use a HTPC in the living room for most of my viewing and have Plex serving from it which allows me to use Plex with Chromecast in the bedroom and streams anything on my HTPC with a nice TV friendly menu. The GF pre-ordered a Fire Stick with voice command remote because we are tired of not having a dedicated remote and Plex has an app for the Fire stick as well. I'm not too thrilled of it having Amazon branded menus but it should be a nice upgrade from a Chromecast.
 
DPI said:
The problem is Amazon isn't allowed to put an app on those devices in the first place. Meanwhile they allow Netflix. Amazon does have a point.
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https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amazon-video/id545519333?mt=8
Works on all devices running IOS7+. Works well and highly reviewed. Would require only a free code library inclusion to support Cast.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.avod
Google TV only. Completely unmaintained. However, Google still hosts it. Just needs Amazon to stop being obstructionist asshats and update it to support current devices.


And if it were just Amazon deciding not to sell competing products, that'd be fine, if stupid. It's their store, and they can sell what they want.

However, that's not what's happening. They're telling all 2+ million entities that use their market-share dominating Marketplace as a sales platform that they're not allowed to sell these two specific products which compete with Amazon's mediocre me-too video streaming service. That'd be like if Visa told retailers using it's payment processing that they weren't allowed to sell Amex prepaid gift cards because they could confuse customers using Visa credit card terminals that didn't support Amex payment processing.

It's leveraging their market-dominant position as an online marketplace platform to enforce exclusionary conduct in order to restrict competition against their own products. The FTC frowns upon that kind of thing. Didn't go well when Microsoft tried something similar; probably won't go well for Amazon. Perhaps Amazon would be better served by making their products not-shit, instead of trying to force better products out of the market.
 
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