Amazon Prime Video is undoubtedly a heavy hitter in the streaming wars. Since it launched in 2014, it has been a steady source of streaming television, movies, and even live sports, making it a reliable choice and full of variety when it comes to the plentiful streaming options in 2022.
Given this heartfelt introduction, you can be forgiven for forming the impression that I have a soft spot for Prime Video when, in fact, the opposite is true. In reality, Prime Video ranges from frustrating to downright unpleasant to use. Every time I open the godforsaken app, the idea of tossing the TV remote to my living room wall becomes an increasingly tempting proposition.
So what’s the problem with Amazon Prime Video? Let’s start with the superficial stuff: first of all the app is ugly, poorly designed and a mess to use. If Disney+ is a hot mug of hot chocolate in front of a fireplace, Amazon Prime Video is a bottle of vodka in front of a fire. It’s confusing, confusing, uninviting and loaded with bizarre subheadings on an almost endless list of other lists. Its “keep watching” section is among suggestions of other things to watch, supposedly (but not convincingly) based on your viewing history rather than being the first choice.
After the suggestions, this is where it becomes a free-for-all curated suggestion, with TV shows and movies side by side, broken down into the more random subsections. The same shows and movies appear on multiple lists, with some of those lists being strangely abstract. “Intriguing” and “exciting” sit alongside the “thriller” category, for example, and while they might not be literally the same thing, the differentiation really isn’t worth making in the context of finding a movie to watch.
Seasons of the same TV series are often ungrouped, meaning each season needs to be added to your watchlist individually, and 4K versions are sometimes separate from their HD counterparts, meaning you may be watching a lower version of any series or movie you want. is currently compulsively.
In short, Prime Video is confusing and unappealing, and could seriously benefit from a tidying up that, for a company as big as Amazon, shouldn’t be an unimaginably grandiose undertaking.
However, without a doubt, the biggest sin the service commits is mixing free content to watch as part of your subscription with content that is not included and has to be paid for separately. There’s a toggle to only show the programming included with your Prime membership, but it’s off by default and not easy to find. Finally, you can click on your favorite series only to find that you have to pay for each episode. Nothing makes my heart sink like that “buy or rent now” button popping up, especially considering I pay a monthly subscription for this service. This is, without a doubt, the worst thing about Prime Video and is the reason why I constantly stay on edge while browsing the content library.
If you’re reading this and thinking that Prime Video has been like this for years, you’re right! And what Hi-Fi? been complaining about it for so long. We are told every now and then that a major UX update is on the way, but while the service has received some superficial brushwork over time, its fundamental flaws remain. While a design change is appreciated, it doesn’t make navigating the service any more pleasant; so come on Amazon, it’s time for a Prime Video spring cleaning.
Aside from the usability flaws, Prime Video’s image quality is also noticeably worse than that of its main adversaries in the streaming wars, and it’s hard to pinpoint why. Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon all stream in 4K HDR, but Amazon’s core content is noticeably rougher than the other two, particularly in terms of color reproduction. The service is suspected to use more aggressive compression technology, but information about this sort of thing is not readily available.
Despite Prime Video’s overall nasty chaos, unfortunately it has one benefit that outweighs all caveats, at least for me: it has a fantastic content library. Prime Video features a varied, high-quality selection of original, exclusive, and third-party content, with everything from Oscar winners to those low-budget home video horrors so bad it’s good. The variety is refreshing and is the perfect antidote to those nights when no one can decide what to watch.
Their original programming offerings include Mr Robot, The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, Hanna, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Invincible, The Expanse and The Grand Tour, plus much more. It also has some fantastic Oscar-nominated original films, including The Sound of Metal, Being the Ricardos, and One Night in Miami, as well as exclusive streaming of other Oscar-nominated and winning hits like Spencer and Parasite. He still has the entire Bond franchise, for God’s sake. Prime Video’s content library is so well curated that if we’re leaving just the content, it’s easily comparable to Disney+.
Combine that with its price, which is particularly low if you already enjoy the other benefits of Amazon Prime, and you can understand why I can’t cancel my subscription, despite how irritated the service constantly makes me.
Instead, I will continue to suffer from possibly the most menial first-world problem that plagues my nights as I scour the streaming services for something to watch.
And to you, Amazon, I can pay you every month and I can like your content, but know that I do it begrudgingly.
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Staff writer Lewis is the newest addition to What Hi-Fi? editorial team. Formerly gaming and digital editor for Cardiff University’s ‘Quench Magazine’, Lewis graduated in 2021 and has since worked on a selection of lifestyle magazines and regional newspapers. In his spare time, he likes to play games and regularly goes to the movies.
Staff writer Lewis is the newest addition to What Hi-Fi? editorial team. Formerly gaming and digital editor for Cardiff University’s ‘Quench Magazine’, Lewis graduated in 2021 and has since worked on a selection of lifestyle magazines and regional newspapers. In his spare time, he likes to play games and regularly goes to the movies.
Prime Video Channels are not part of your Prime membership. These are paid add-on subscriptions that allow you to add desired content from premium third-party networks and other streaming entertainment channels.
Which subscription is best for movies?
The best streaming services now See the article : Uncharted with Tom Holland will hit Netflix in July 2022.
- HBO Max. The best streaming service on the market is the domestic box office. …
- Hulu. The best streaming service for cable cutters. …
- Netflix. Still one of the best streaming services, but looking for its next hit. …
- Disney Plus. The best streaming service for families. …
- Sling TV. …
- Apple TV Plus. …
- Peacock. …
- TV Fubo.
Which streaming service has the most movies? Prime Video has the most movies of any service, but HBO Max has the most “highest quality” movies. Amazon Prime Video has nearly 7,000 movies available for streaming to subscribers, the most from any of the services reviewed by Reelgood. , which had more than 3,700 at the time.
Is there anything better than Netflix?
What is the best Netflix alternative? Hulu is ZDNet’s #1 recommendation. We’ve analyzed top streaming services based on price, original content, variety of shows and movies, live TV options, simultaneous streaming, advertising policy, and more to find the best alternatives for Netflix cynics.
Is Netflix worth it anymore 2021?
So, should you cancel your Netflix subscription in 2021? No, we don’t. On the same subject : After Deaths During the Filming, Netflix Suspends Production And An Investigation Is Done. It’s definitely easy to see that there’s been a few months where you’re not feeling this in the content Netflix releases – but overall, we’re pretty happy with the volume of originals coming to the service.
Is it worth canceling Netflix? It’s never a bad time to cancel Netflix. (And seriously, think about how much you liked or needed it over the last four weeks.) At $15.49 (based on current Netflix prices) a month for the Standard 1080p plan, many Netflix subscribers pay more than any other big streaming service fees.
Is Netflix going downhill?
Netflix’s market share has dropped significantly over the past two years. Between Q1 2020 and Q1 2022, it dropped from 55. To see also : Best Summer Movies to Stream on Amazon Prime Video.7% to 45.2% globally and from 52.4% to 42.4% in the US, according to Parrot Analytics.
Is Netflix worth it right now?
Recently, Netflix has seen more competition from Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney, just to name a few. But there is no other on-demand streaming service as complete as Netflix. You’ll find great movies and series, amazing original content, and an elegant interface on Netflix.
How much is Amazon Prime a month?
Prime: $12.99 per month. If you want full Prime benefits but prefer to spread out your payments, you’ll pay around $155 a year. If you receive eligible government assistance, you can get a Prime subscription for $5.99 per month. Prime: $119 per year.
How much is Prime 2022? The annual Amazon Prime membership fee in 2022 jumped to $139 from $119 for new and returning members. You are billed in advance and the annual subscription automatically renews every 12 months.
Is Amazon Prime a monthly fee now?
Current Amazon Prime subscription price: $14.99 per month.
Is it cheaper to pay Amazon Prime monthly or yearly?
With the new price increase, an Amazon Prime subscription costs $15 a month (up from $13 a month), or you can pay $139 a year (previously $119). Prime annual subscription includes a 30-day free trial.
