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February 19, 2013

Amazon's IMDb Apple App Gets Prime Mobile Video

Amazon is banking on that old corporate favorite, synergy, with a move to embed Amazon Prime Instant Video into the IMDb iOS app. When a flick fan with an Amazon Prime subscription looks up the cast of, say, Ben Hur, he or she can now simply click on a link to start watching it.

Amazon bought the Internet movie database back in 2008, and the Apple app it created around it has been fairly straightforward; it has been just a dedicated way to look up stuff about films, TV and actors, lacking the click-to-watch feature that the Web edition offers. The iOS update’s watchable links are thus a major upgrade to the functionality, offering one-click access to the 25,000 TV programs and films listed on Amazon Prime.

The move is a boon for mobile video, making it seamless for iPad and iPhone owners to click through to the Amazon Instant Video app, which gives Amazon Prime subscribers a portal to their content. Marrying the two encourages impulse viewing and greater subscriber engagement, not to mention teases non-Prime subscribers to check out what those links are all about when they come across them, potentially garnering more subscriptions for Amazon with a minimal promotional or customer acquisition cost.

Amazon Prime began life as a frequent purchaser shipping discount program, and has quickly evolved to become Amazon’s main digital distribution vector for streaming content. For a $79 annual fee, members get free two-day delivery, but also access to the Amazon Prime library and the ability to borrow Kindle books.




Edited by Allison Boccamazzo


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