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Amazon's Set-Top Box Competitor to Apple TV and Roku Launching Before Holidays

Thursday October 3, 2013 11:45 am PDT by Jordan Golson
NewImageAmazon is developing a set-top box to compete with the Apple TV and Roku boxes, reports The Wall Street Journal. The box would be aimed primarily at users of its Amazon Prime Video streaming video service and could launch in time for the holiday season.

It was reported back in April that Amazon was developing a set-top box to stream video via its Amazon Prime and Instant Video services.
Plans for a device that would stream video were reported in April by The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets. Such a set-top box would broaden Amazon's reach into the living room, where today it is dependent on other hardware makers to reach consumers watching video on TV sets. Providing a device of its own is a potentially crucial component to Amazon's ambition of expanding beyond its core online marketplace business.
Amazon has stepped up its streaming content offerings recently, producing 14 original television pilots and using customer feedback to decide which get made into full shows, as well as spending significant amounts of money to secure exclusive rights to shows like Downton Abbey and The West Wing. The tactic takes on both Netflix's subscription streaming service and Apple's iTunes content store.

Currently Amazon's Instant Video service is available on iPads and iPhones, the Xbox 360, the Nintendo Wii, the Sony Playstation 3, smart televisions from LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio, TiVo, the Roku box, as well as a number of Blu-ray players.

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musicianm
77 months ago
Amazon should be more concerned with making a deal with Apple to have PRIME on AppleTV.

Not making something that only so many people will buy.
Rating: 9 Votes
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giantfan1224
77 months ago
I guess I don't understand the need for Amazon to have their own hardware when their video player is available on pretty much any platform. They're not a hardware manufacturer (at least they're not profitable in that arena). They'll probably sell it at cost or for a loss which baffles me why they wouldn't just focus more on making their content the best possible. I understand they want to lock people into the ecosystem but in the end, if their video service and content is the best (cheapest, variety), that will be what ultimately makes them money.
Rating: 6 Votes
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Rogifan
77 months ago

I guess I don't understand the need for Amazon to have their own hardware when their video player is available on pretty much any platform. They're not a hardware manufacturer (at least they're not profitable in that arena). They'll probably sell it at cost or for a loss which baffles me why they wouldn't just focus more on making their content the best possible. I understand they want to lock people into the ecosystem but in the end, if their video service and content is the best (cheapest, variety), that will be what ultimately makes them money.


You forget that Wall Street doesn't give a toss if Amazon makes money or not. As long as Amazon's top line keeps going up and up and up the market doesn't seem to care what happens to the bottom line.
Rating: 5 Votes
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samcraig
77 months ago

Correction: Amazon Instant Streaming is not available on TiVo. Only (purchased) downloads. No streaming. And yes that includes the latest Roamio boxes.


It's good to see you here Anthony - I feel like I haven't come across your name in a long time.

This will be an interesting product. How many other services will Amazon link up to stream. Will it be bundled with 3/6/12 months of free Prime as a selling point?

Roku has a pretty mature "channel" selection. And there's no doubt that AppleTV despite having it's limitations is favored by many simple for airplay.

And then there's Google Chromecast which is doing pretty well and has a scary price point.

So again - it will be interesting to see how they differentiate theirs...
Rating: 4 Votes
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ViperDesign
77 months ago

You forget that Wall Street doesn't give a toss if Amazon makes money or not. As long as Amazon's top line keeps going up and up and up the market doesn't seem to care what happens to the bottom line.


I swear you have that same comment just ready to go whenever there is an amazon post. You literally say the same thing over and over about amazon.

http://theweek.com/article/index/235488/how-long-can-amazon-go-without-making-money
Rating: 4 Votes
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azentropy
77 months ago

Amazon should be more concerned with making a deal with Apple to have PRIME on AppleTV.

Not making something that only so many people will buy.


It makes me a bit concerned that they are coming out with their own because they couldn't get a deal done with Apple.
Rating: 3 Votes
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street.cory
77 months ago
Competition is good, but man it's a PITA when all you want to do is watch TV and you have to have Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, HBO Go, and apparently multiple set top boxes to facilitate it.

As of yet, the only set top box that can take care of this is AppleTV.
Rating: 3 Votes
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jon3543
77 months ago

I guess I don't understand the need for Amazon to have their own hardware when their video player is available on pretty much any platform. They're not a hardware manufacturer (at least they're not profitable in that arena). They'll probably sell it at cost or for a loss which baffles me why they wouldn't just focus more on making their content the best possible. I understand they want to lock people into the ecosystem but in the end, if their video service and content is the best (cheapest, variety), that will be what ultimately makes them money.


It's part of the Bezos shell game to extend the promise of infinite riches in the face of continual losses for another quarter. At some point, his dart board will be completely covered with darts, and it will be entertaining to watch them start to fall.
Rating: 3 Votes
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bawbac
77 months ago

It doesn't sound like they'll have enough content. Amazon Prime and Instant have a few decent selections, but they are not even close to what Apple TV offers.


Amazon needs to up their content but they've got a good start/foundation.

When did Apple offer free movies or a subscription for $79 or less a year to view a catalog of content?


Over 150,000 top movies and TV shows to rent or buy, including thousands you can watch now at no additional cost as an Amazon Prime member.


http://www.amazon.com/Instant-Video/b/ref=topnav_storetab_mov_aiv?ie=UTF8&node=2858778011
Rating: 3 Votes
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bawbac
77 months ago
This would be a perfect "free" or even low cost device to entice people to join Amazon Prime since a huge catalog of content/movies are FREE with Amazon Prime.

Then Amazon could recoup costs when people rent non-prime content.
*They had Iron Man 3 available for streaming 2 weeks before the DVD/blu-ray release for a heavty cost of $19.99.

I have Amazon on my Roku & blu-ray players so this device doesn't really cater or entice people like me.

Hopefully they provide HD/1080p & DD 5.1 audio output via HDMI since the Roku provides these outputs.
Rating: 3 Votes

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