Prime Video increases the number of ads while streaming in the US: Report

Amazon has quietly rolled out more ads to Prime Video in the US. Now, viewers will get up to 6 minutes of ads per hour.

Amazon has “quietly” increased ads while streaming content on Prime Video, claims an exclusive news report by AdWeek. This is not applicable for the Indian market. Outside India, the report claims that the ads have increased from 2 to 3.5 minutes to 4 to 6.5 minutes of ads on an hourly basis.

While this may hamper users' viewing experience, it will attract more advertisers to the platform, generating higher revenue. Therefore, the number of ads is expected to gradually increase. However, Prime Video subscribers can always pay additional money to avoid ads entirely.

Amazon Prime Video will start to show more ads, here’s what we know. (AP)

By Aishwarya Panda

Aishwarya Panda is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital Stream with nearly 4 years of experience in tech content writing. She is passionate about writing and exploring her interests in the ever-evolving world of technology. She loves to get her hands on new tech products and gadgets, especially in the space of smartphones.

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Amazon Prime Video ads

The report by AdWeek says, Amazon has reportedly increased the number of ads on its online streaming platform Prime Video. An Amazon representative said, “Prime Video ad load has gradually increased to four to six minutes per hour.”With a greater number of ads, Amazon is expected to reduce the Cost Per Mille (CPM) for ads, which will likely make advertising cheaper on the platform.

The trend of ad inclusion on online streaming platforms has scrapped the vision of an ad-free experience as viewers are already paying a huge sum. However, now OTT viewers will have to pay extra for an ad-free experience. Now, the real question is, will the OTT viewers start accepting ads on the platform, or will it drive the viewers away?

Earlier, OTT platforms like Netflix cracked down on account sharing and restricted users outside of the house from using the same account. On the other hand, HBO Max also restricts password sharing. Now, the OTT platforms are opting for ad revenue, hampering user experience.

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Amazon Prime Video ad-free add-on plan

Just a few days earlier, Amazon announced an add-on plan for subscription users in India. This will allow users in India to enjoy ad-free viewing from June 17. With this add-on plan, subscription users will have to pay Rs.129 extra on a monthly basis or Rs.699 extra yearly. These prices will be applied over the Amazon Prime annual membership, which is priced at Rs.1499.