- Ad-free Prime video goes up to $4.99 in the US.
- It will also change its name to Amazon Prime Video Ultra
- 4K streaming is now exclusive to the paid tier
Price increases are now par for the course when it comes to the best streaming services, and Amazon is now charging more for ad-free Prime Video in the US: Starting next month the cost will increase from $2.99 to $4.99, although you’ll get some added benefits.
The tier will also be renamed Prime Video Ultra. This is the older plan than what is included with an Amazon Prime subscription; In addition to removing ads, you get more offline downloads, more simultaneous streaming, and Dolby Atmos audio.
In exchange for the extra $2 per month, Amazon is offering Prime Video Ultra subscribers 100 downloads instead of 25, and 5 simultaneous streams (instead of 3). In the included Prime Video plan, you get 50 downloads (instead of 25) and 4 simultaneous streams (instead of 3).
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Unfortunately, 4K/UHD streams are going away in the standard plan; This is now a paid Ultra exclusive service, and the streaming service included with Prime Video will be capped at 1080p. However, Dolby Vision will be added for those who don’t pay extra.
‘It aligns with other major streaming services’
Prime Video without advertising increases in price and is renamed Prime Video Ultra. from r/cordcutters
“Offering ad-free streaming with premium features requires a significant investment, and this structure aligns with other major streaming services while ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to watch,” Amazon says.
The company also notes that certain types of programming, including live TV and sporting events, may include ads even if you pay for Ultra. Amazon has been investing heavily in sports content, which may be part of the reason for the price increase.
A quick temperature check on Reddit suggests that people are now resigned to paying more and more indefinitely for all their streaming services, although one user said they “immediately canceled” and that the new Ultra plan was “not worth it.”
For now, these changes only apply to the US, but the ad-free update is available worldwide. It seems only a matter of time before Amazon’s international customers have to pay more for ad-free viewing and 4K streaming.
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