Hands-On With the New Amazon Prime Video App for Apple TV

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The long-awaited Amazon Prime Video app for the Apple TV finally debuted today after a wait that spanned six months since it was first teased at WWDC.

Apple's set-top box is one of the last platforms to support the Amazon Prime Video app, which is now available on third, fourth, and fifth-generation Apple TV models. We spent the afternoon checking out the new app for a hands-on look at its feature set.

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If you've used the Amazon Prime Video app on an iOS device or on another platform like a console, the interface will be immediately familiar, organized into sections that include Originals, Movies, TV, Kids, Video Library, and more.

Content available from Amazon Prime Video includes TV shows like "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" and movies like "The Big Sick," with Amazon adding new options on a regular basis. Amazon Prime Video requires an Amazon Prime subscription, priced at $99 per year or $10.99 per month.

Movies and TV shows in Amazon Prime Video can be added to your Watchlist, which is synced across all of your devices, and the Apple TV's Siri Remote can be used to search for Amazon content from within the app.

Universal Search is also supported, so Amazon Prime Video content will come up in systemwide searches on the Apple TV, and integration with Apple's dedicated TV app is included in countries where the TV app is supported, with access to Up Next syncing and content recommendations.

Integration with the TV app is nice, as is Universal Search, because both features let you access Amazon content without needing to use the Amazon Prime Video interface.

For the 4K Apple TV and supported television sets, supported Amazon Prime Video content plays in 4K HDR.

Amazon Prime Video for Apple TV is available in more than 100 countries, and it is also available on iOS devices. [Direct Link]

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Tag: Amazon Prime Video
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater

Top Rated Comments

69Mustang Avatar
69Mustang
46 months ago
A pretty pointless application for the Apple TV 4K given that the all modern 4K TV's have the ability to run the Amazon Prime Video application within their own OS anyways.
You've obviously never met an Apple fan. If it ain't coming through Apple hardware, it ain't coming through.:D
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rainshadow Avatar
Rainshadow
46 months ago
A pretty pointless application for the Apple TV 4K given that the all modern 4K TV's have the ability to run the Amazon Prime Video application within their own OS anyways.
Have one of those TVs. The UI sucks on mine. This will be a welcome way to avoid it. Maybe others aren’t as difficult.

Also, this will put all my content in one place. Easier and more familiar.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kabeyun Avatar
Kabeyun
46 months ago
A pretty pointless application for the Apple TV 4K given that the all modern 4K TV's have the ability to run the Amazon Prime Video application within their own OS anyways.
Have to disagree. It’s really convenient not to have to navigate to different devices for different content. My ATV is my media hub including all our own (via the Plex app) and I certainly don’t want to have to be changing inputs just for Amazon VOD. Your scenario might be fine if you use a smart TV for all your digital media, but in that case I suggest that an Apple TV itself is pointless. Even before 4K, the market was filled with smart TVs with built-in access to a host of video sources, but I don’t think an Apple TV, or any other set top box or stick, was pointless then. Just my opinion.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hanterdro Avatar
Hanterdro
46 months ago
Shame on you macrumors... not a single word about the missing 5.1 sound...
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hoosier317 Avatar
Hoosier317
46 months ago
It has crap, no 5.1 audio, and you dont mention it.

Paid shill article...

You should be embarrassed.
...you do realize that Amazon's tech specs for the app on the Apple TV state that it is supposed to have 5.1 audio, right? It isn't working and that is clearly just a bug of some sort. It wasn't something that was left out or some type of shortcoming. It will likely be corrected within the next few days. The app was only launched this morning. Nothing about that makes this a "paid shill" article. Calm down.
[doublepost=1512606331][/doublepost]
The nice part about having this is that I don't need to switch inputs anymore. Luckily I don't care for HD audio.
No streaming services offer HD audio anyway, nor does the Apple TV itself. What are you even talking about?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iapplelove Avatar
iapplelove
46 months ago
I was surprised to see it installed on my Apple TV 3rd gen tonight.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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