Amazons Prime Video Interface Update Promises to Make It Easier to Tell Whats Included W

July 2024 · 6 minute read

Amazon is launching the biggest update to the Prime Video user experience in two years — which the tech giant claims is simpler and more personalized, with the aim of helping you find something to watch faster than ever.

And the new UI specifically addresses something that’s annoyed Prime Video users for years: Now, according to Amazon, it will be easier to see what is included with a Prime membership and what you would need to pay extra for. In the updated user experience, logos for Prime and add-on subscription services (like Max, Paramount+, Starz, MGM+ and Crunchyroll) will appear on the hero and title cards of a movie or TV show to provide a visual indicator about which service the content is available on. If a title requires additional payment, a yellow shopping bag icon will be visible.

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Prime Video’s new interface also features a navigation bar with single-click access to titles; an improved way for customers to browse, sign up for and manage add-on subscriptions; and personalized content recommendations powered by generative AI.

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Amazon said the updated Prime Video user interface will begin to roll out globally Tuesday (July 23) and will become available to all customers (including on older devices) “in the coming weeks.”

According to customer feedback, it’s clear that many Prime Video users want “a more intuitive streaming experience,” said Kam Keshmiri, Prime Video’s VP of design. “With the improvements we have made to the user experience, customers will be presented with an easy-to-navigate entertainment destination where they can discover new titles and enjoy favorites, as well as sign-up or switch add-on subscriptions with just a few clicks.”

The new navigation bar on Prime Video has purpose-built destinations including “Home,” “Movies,” “TV Shows,” “Sports,” “Live TV,” and “Subscriptions” for active add-on subscriptions, like Max or Paramount+, allowing you to navigate by content type. A new “Prime” destination in the navigation bar lets you to browse movies, TV shows, sports and linear broadcasts available at no additional cost with a Prime membership. That section also provides information about other Prime benefits available in your country, such as exclusive deals and benefits.

Prime Video now lets you browse, sign up for and manage your active add-on subscriptions directly from the “Subscriptions” section in navigation bar. In addition to seeing what you’re already signed up for, you can find new options that are “uniquely recommended” based on your preferences, previous rentals and viewing history. In addition, the subscriptions destination will display deals and discounted bundles of subscriptions from third-party services. In the U.S., Prime Video has a lineup of more than 100 add-on subscriptions to choose from.

Just below the navigation bar is the “hero rotator,” which highlights content you can watch with a subscription, as well as titles available to rent or buy. The section also will include a range of promotions such as Prime member deals and subscription bundles. You can directly play, purchase or subscribe to watch content from the hero rotator.

When using a living room device, video content will auto-play on the hero rotator as you determine what to watch. And on the “Live TV” destination, recommended 24/7 channels will automatically start playing.

Amazon said Prime Video’s updated UI also features new animations, “smooth page transitions” and zoom effects.

Enhanced personalization features, created with the assistance of generative AI, will make it easier to find relevant content, according to Amazon. For example, the “Movies“ and ”TV Shows” destinations now display “Made for You” collections: Rather than organizing content from specific add-on subscriptions and different purchase options, Prime Video will present a more logical layout that groups titles tailored to your interests. In addition to recommendations, you can browse content by other categories such as “Top 10 in the U.S.” or “Trending Shows.”

Amazon said Prime Video’s personalized recommendations are generated using Bedrock, a fully managed AWS service for building and scaling generative AI applications with foundational models.

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