Amazon is set to incorporate Apple’s Apple TV+ streaming service into its U.S. channel store, introducing popular shows like "Ted Lasso" and "Slow Horses" to its video marketplace for the first time. This strategic move allows Apple to leverage Amazon's vast user base to enhance its viewership for Apple TV+.
Mike Hopkins, Amazon's Senior Vice President of Prime Video, announced that the TV+ subscription service will be available later this month through Prime. He emphasized the substantial reach that the Amazon platform provides, offering a global audience to its channel partners.
Amazon's channel store already offers over 100 streaming services, allowing customers to access content from Max, Paramount+, and Hallmark directly within Prime Video. These services benefit from Amazon's extensive audience reach, expanding their viewership significantly.
While Apple TV+ joins Amazon's channel store, notable absences include major players like Netflix and Disney, which remain outside this partnership despite their substantial subscriber bases, surpassing Prime Video in numbers.
In recent years, Apple has invested billions into producing original content, garnering critical acclaim and industry awards. However, its subscriber count still lags behind industry giants like Netflix and Amazon. This integration could be crucial for Apple TV+ to increase its user base.
The collaboration expands on the existing relationship between the two companies. Since 2017, Amazon's Prime Video app has been available on Apple TV set-top boxes, and Prime Video is integrated into Apple’s TV app, broadening its device reach. Additionally, Apple continues to operate an official store on Amazon's retail platform, strengthening their commercial ties.
Hopkins also indicated that further integrations are expected, with the streaming service aiming to reach profitability "soon." This collaboration marks a significant step in the ongoing evolution of digital content distribution, potentially setting a precedent for how streaming services might collaborate in the future.