After a long wait, the Windows users can finally download their favorite videos from the Amazon Prime Video App. Yesterday, the company announced the launch of this prime video app exclusively for Windows 10 users. One can download the app on their desktop or any other Windows 10 devices from the Microsoft Store. The app went live yesterday and it is available now for the Indian customers as well.
Previously, before the app was launched, Windows users were still able to stream prime video content from browsers like Chrome. But, they still faced the disadvantage of not able to download and watch any video offline. So, this new Amazon Prime Video App will permit you to download the prime video content and watch it offline.
Watch Party feature for the US
Apart from launching a new app for the Windows customers, Amazon Prime Video also introduced a new feature called Watch Party last week. Currently, this new feature is only available for prime users in the US which will eventually expand its user base. The new Watch Party feature allows prime members to watch videos together with friends from a different location.
So, through this new feature Amazon prime video allows a maximum of 100 viewers in a group. But, each viewer must have a US-based Prime subscription otherwise they won’t get access to this feature. And, after joining a group, one can choose any TV show or movie both from licensed and original category. Watch Party doesn’t allow to stream TV shows or movies that are available either for rent or purchase. Moreover, this feature is only available for desktop users. The company didn’t make any announcement regarding a similar feature for smartphones.
Strong competition for Netflix and Hulu
Amazon Prime Video has always been a strong rival of Netflix and Hulu. But, with the service launching new features and getting new content might get things heated up. Amazon Prime video now has originals like Fleabag, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Jack Ryan, The Big Sick, The Boys, Homecoming, etc.
The demand for Amazon Prime Video is not going flat anytime soon especially after the introduction of the Watch Party feature. Apart from video streaming and watching it with friends and family, it also comes with a chat feature. So, anyone in the group can talk to all the other viewers in the group. To include viewers in the group the host needs to share a private link. So, the working process is similar to today’s video conferencing apps like Zoom, Cisco Webex, etc.
After Amazon Prime video launched the feature of Watch Party, Netflix along with Disney and WarnerMedia is trying to pull off something similar.
Payment for the new app
The Prime video is already free for the Amazon Prime subscribers as they pay $119 annually. For Windows users, they can download the Amazon Prime Video app for free from the Microsoft store. But, a monthly subscription fee of $8.99 is required for getting access to Amazon Prime Video.
Video quality
It is found that the new Prime Video app for the Windows 10 users doesn’t allow video streaming above 720p resolution. The same goes for the prime video app for the iPad as well. If the Windows users use browsers like Chrome, they can stream videos at 1080p.
But, the app claims to stream and download videos at a maximum of 1080p. When the user will try to download any video, he or she will be offered three quality choices, Good, Better, and Best. Higher quality will occupy more space and consume more data.
Annasha Dey is an NIT student, who apart from studying engineering is also a content writer. She has a great interest in photography, writing, reading novels, and travelling as well. She is a foodie who loves socializing and hanging out with her friends. She is also a trained Kathak dancer and a big fashion enthusiast. Dey also loves watching TV series, which includes F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and Big Bang Theory. To be a better writer she prefers to read more