Eight months after kicking Google Chromecast and Apple TV off of its eCommerce platform, Amazon’s CEO gave an explanation for the company’s decision.
“[W]hen we sell those devices, we want our player — our Prime Video player — to be on the device, and we want it to be on the device with acceptable business terms,” Bezos said at the Recode conference. “You can always get the player on the device. The question is: Can you get it on there with acceptable business terms?”
Bezos refused to throw further light on the company’s decision and said that “private business discussions should stay private.”
While Amazon’s decision to stop selling video devices from its top competitors highlights its push to keep a competitive edge, back in October, the company pointed compatibility issues of Prime video with third-party devices such Chromecast and Apple TV.
“Over the last three years, Prime Video has become an important part of Prime,” a spokesperson said in October. “It’s important that the streaming media players we sell interact well with Prime Video in order to avoid customer confusion. Roku, Xbox, PlayStation and Fire TV are excellent choices.”
Amazon’s refusal to sell its competitors’ products on its platform goes on to highlight its strained relationship with Apple and Google, as Recode pointed out.
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The animosity, however, is seemingly mutual. Apple TV’s updated version, for instance, doesn’t include Amazon Prime videos; meanwhile, it includes all other major streaming services, such as Netflix, HBO and Hulu.
Similarly, Amazon’s video service cannot be streamed through Chromecast as there’s no available Amazon app supporting it.
