After years of battling each other, Apple and Amazon have finally come to a resolution, and we will finally get Amazon Prime Video on Apple TV.
But before we talk about it, let’s get two things straight:
- On-Demand content is no longer just the future of television, it’s the present. It’s as real as Donald Trump’s presidency, and you can’t will it away by closing your eyes and choosing to ignore it. And,
- Amazon and Apple are not the best of friends. The only thing common between them is that they both want to beat Netflix in the content game, but instead of working together, they are fighting each other.
Well, at least they were fighting until recently. Now, however, it looks like we might be seeing the first signs of a truce between the two industry titans.
Apple TV will finally get Amazon Prime Video app.
Apple and Amazon have tried of cut off each other in the race for being the content king. Apple was unwilling to host Amazon Prime Video app on Apple TV, while Amazon stopped selling Apple TVs on their website.
And to make it look like a business decision, they also pulled Google Chromecast from their store. Their reason? It was done to avoid “potential customer confusion over which streaming devices support Amazon Prime Video.”
They both wanted to promote their content, and both wanted to cut the competition. Far from beating their main rival Netflix, this fight ended up hurting themselves.
It was all for the ego.
You know they are both desperate when you notice that except on Apple TV, the Amazon Prime video can be accessed on all other Apple devices. The iPhone app for Amazon Video, in fact, constantly features in the top 25 list in the App Store.
Similarly, it was only the Apple TV that Amazon refused to sell. All other Apple products went on to be sold without any problem. Clearly, they were trying to cut-off each other’s content bloodline.
Jeffy and Timmy had to go for a dinner date.
Jeff Bezos and Tim Cook are both shrewd businessmen, and clearly, they saw that their antics were hurting each other. So they decided to put their differences aside and come to a peaceful compromise. Meeting over a dinner, Jeffy and Timmy decided that enough was enough and that they ought to be mature about this whole thing.
The argument over “commission”.
Apparently, the main point of contention was the commission that Apple charges. By default, for any in-app purchase made on Apple TV, Apple will keep 30% of it. Amazon said, “No fair! We already subsidize our content to a great deal. You keeping 30% would be just too large a cut. No fair!”
So Apple said, “Meri bat, mere rules!” And didn’t let Amazon come on its platform. #GaliCricketRulez
We still don’t know what deal Cook and Bezos have struck together. But all we can say is we’ll be very pleased to have the Amazon Prime Video app on Apple TV.
Now, if only TVF would go ahead and launch an Apple TV app of their own, then I think, I can chuck my DishTV out of the window for good!
