Amazon today launched a new Prime Photos feature called "Family Vault", which extends the unlimited photo storage that Amazon Prime subscribers get to their friends and family members (via TechCrunch).

prime-photos-banner
For those unfamiliar with Amazon Prime, a $99 per year subscription includes free two-day shipping, unlimited streaming of movies, TV shows and music, and unlimited photo storage, among other benefits. With the arrival of Family Vault, Prime subscribers can now invite up to five family members or friends to join their online account, where they can combine photos and each get another 5GB of storage for uploading videos and other files.

The thinking behind Family Vault is to allow close friends and families to see each other's photos and videos in a single location, and be able to access them on their own devices, at no cost to those added by the Prime account holder.

02-family-vault1
The Family Plan announcement also ushers in some new search technology for Prime Photos users, including keyword-related searches for photos with a specific theme or subject (e.g. cat, wedding, beach, and so on) and a face-finding feature called "People".

Amazon is also formally announcing a new low-cost photo printing service, with prints starting at 9 cents, with free shipping for Prime members.

Further details of all of the company's newly announced features can be found on Amazon's Photos minisite or through the Amazon Photos mobile app.

Top Rated Comments

chr1s60 Avatar
114 months ago
I can't speak for countries other than the US, but having been a Prime member for about a decade now, it is by far one of the best investments one can make. It used to pay for itself in just shipping costs alone and over the past 5 years it has continually gotten better. I don't see them losing me as a customer any time soon.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
114 months ago
I've been wanting Apple to do this with iCloud storage. I pay for 1TB/mo and only have 205GB on there (I recently had to upgrade because I kept bumping up against the 200GB limit and kept having to delete videos). So I have about 800GB free and can't even share it with my wife—even though we share apps, movies, TV shows, games, Apple Music, etc—I have to buy her a separate storage account. IDK why it can't be shared among everyone in the family like literally everything else including location, notes, reminders, and calendars. As the head of the family I should be able to allocate space to each user, as well as share certain folders. I hope Apple is working on this functionality!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
autumnpatchouli Avatar
114 months ago
Amazon Prime Photos, which I've used since it was available, was basically an afterthought bonus to Prime members. That said, it is now superior to Apple photos. Apple just can't seem to get photos right. I use it as my photo entry point, which is then farmed automatically out to Prime, Google photos, Flickr, & One Drive. All, with maybe the exception of One Drive, are better at what they do than Apple photos. The facial recognition not being synced between devices (last time I looked) is ridiculous. Search is inferior. And every system update seems to screw up photos in some way. Add to that the fact I pay $900 for their phone, and get a paltry 5gb of cloud storage. So I have to bother with $.99 a month for 45gb more.i do love Apple phones, but this company nickels & dimes you to death on their services.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maxsix Avatar
114 months ago


What I don't like about Apple's "stuff" is that except for Music, I can't really think of anything they have that is cross platform. I know they want to lock you into their ecosystem but it just annoys me to the point I am breaking out of the ecosystem every way I can.
So very true. The irony is I began enjoying Apples finest work years ago, yet today one must accept great limitations to do so.
[doublepost=1476797879][/doublepost]
I've been wanting Apple to do this with iCloud storage. I pay for 1TB/mo and only have 205GB on there (I recently had to upgrade because I kept bumping up against the 200GB limit and kept having to delete videos). So I have about 800GB free and can't even share it with my wife—even though we share apps, movies, TV shows, games, Apple Music, etc—I have to buy her a separate storage account. IDK why it can't be shared among everyone in the family like literally everything else including location, notes, reminders, and calendars. As the head of the family I should be able to allocate space to each user, as well as share certain folders. I hope Apple is working on this functionality!
Apples obsession as a controlling dictator overrides common sense.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
114 months ago
Amazon is becoming the new Google. :(
yes, and I'd say at this point they may be out-googling google.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iSRS Avatar
114 months ago
I've been wanting Apple to do this with iCloud storage. I pay for 1TB/mo and only have 205GB on there (I recently had to upgrade because I kept bumping up against the 200GB limit and kept having to delete videos). So I have about 800GB free and can't even share it with my wife—even though we share apps, movies, TV shows, games, Apple Music, etc—I have to buy her a separate storage account. IDK why it can't be shared among everyone in the family like literally everything else including location, notes, reminders, and calendars. As the head of the family I should be able to allocate space to each user, as well as share certain folders. I hope Apple is working on this functionality!
Me too! This looks like exactly what I want, and will stop the "nudging" from my wife that she need the pictures off her iPhone and the kids' iPhones added to Photos so she can print them.

This is the perfect all in one solution. Bravo, Amazon, bravo...

One Question: Do the family members have unlimited photo uploads and the 5GB is limited to video and other files? This is how I understand it. Looking to see if anyone knows for sure.

As far as an Amazon Prime app for the Apple TV? I've given up hope. And since trying to find a non-smart TV in 2016 was a near impossibility, isn't an issue for me any longer...
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive These Five Perks

Wednesday July 9, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, did you know that Apple offers you five perks beyond the extra storage space, at no additional cost? Here are the perks included with all iCloud+ plans:Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple. Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed. Hom...