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Amazon takes on Netflix with rebrand of LoveFilm video-on-demand service


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Old 23-02-2014, 12:08
wakey
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This is all so confusing. I am with Lovefilm instant £5.99 package at the moment. I am actually on a free month trial which ends next week. So if i continue after next wednesday what will happen? As for as I can make out Lovefilm Instant will be renamed Amazon Prime Instant and will offer newer films on a pay per view basis like Blinkbox and Apple do. This will be as well as the streaming selection I am getting now. So will I get this for the £5.99? Or are they scrapping that and expecting me to sign up to this £79 per year service? I dont have a kindle and only order stuff on Amazon occasionally so do not need unlimited free delivery.
If you just leave it as it is you will pay £5.99 a month.

Personally however I would signup to prime right now. Then you will pay a single £49 for the year of instant which works out cheaper per month and also gets you free next day postage on amazon. (At the £79 price it will be after the 26th it works out more than month by month by about 50p but you your again your getting free postage still so ust easy to make it worthwhile)
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Old 23-02-2014, 12:15
Inkblot
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If you have an iPad/iPhone/iPod touch you can airplay to the Apple TV.
I'll have a go after the changeover, but it sounds counterintuitive compared with just selecting an app on the TV, which is how Netflix works.
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Old 23-02-2014, 12:50
wakey
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I just left LoveFilm for Netflix and would definitely return for the combined Prime/LoveFilm offer but only once Amazon make the streaming available to Android devices.
The problem with offering Android apps is Android itself. It cause real issues for any app that delivers copyrighted material. Netflix, iPlayer, Sky apps and others still aren't available on all android devices and updates to the services roll out on a device by device basis rather than system wide. Its just not as simple as taking the Kindle version or the GoogleTV version and rolling it out to all android devices

Does anyone know whether they plan to extend it to other devices? I have Amazon Prime but I use Netflix for streaming because it's available on Panasonic TVs and Apple TV. Amazon Prime Instant Video won't be a lot of use if you can't watch it on your television.
In theory moving to the prime system should see it move to the same software platform as used in the US in which case it should make bringing it to AppleTV easy
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Old 23-02-2014, 13:15
c00kiemonster72
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If you have an iPad/iPhone/iPod touch you can airplay to the Apple TV. I do wonder if they will ever have an app on android though.
Seeing as they don't yet have an Android app for the US version, it maybe a while off yet.
I suppose this is one of the downsides to Android.
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Old 23-02-2014, 13:22
c00kiemonster72
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I'll have a go after the changeover, but it sounds counterintuitive compared with just selecting an app on the TV, which is how Netflix works.
Anywhere there is currently a Lovefilm app, this will be updated to the new UK Amazon VOD service, so if you have this app on your smart tv, you'll have the new app once it's been updated

The US Amazon VOD service streams very well, as good as Netflix does for me, whereas Lovefilm has always been poor. If Amazon are just changing the name and not changing the tech to improve the quality so it matches the US version, I will probably cancel my prime sub, as I won't use the streaming and will stick to my US version.
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Old 23-02-2014, 13:26
hybridtheory
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Hi

I just signed up for Amazon Prime Trial on Thursday. Will I get both services for the introductory offer if I don't cancel my trial?

Thanks

Baz
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Old 23-02-2014, 13:27
c00kiemonster72
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In theory moving to the prime system should see it move to the same software platform as used in the US in which case it should make bringing it to AppleTV easy
In the US, there isn't an Amazon VOD app for the Apple TV, so we may not see one here.

Which is strange as the App is on just about everything else, all games consoles, blu ray players and Roku.
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Old 23-02-2014, 13:47
passingbat
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Because my Prime Membership is going up, upon next renewal because of this!
Then why did you not explain that in your post?
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Old 23-02-2014, 16:11
JCR
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In the US, there isn't an Amazon VOD app for the Apple TV, so we may not see one here.

Which is strange as the App is on just about everything else, all games consoles, blu ray players and Roku.
Apple apparently charge significantly more for being on Apple tv than Roku/Sony etc charge.
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Old 23-02-2014, 16:29
Anika Hanson
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The problem with offering Android apps is Android itself. It cause real issues for any app that delivers copyrighted material. Netflix, iPlayer, Sky apps and others still aren't available on all android devices and updates to the services roll out on a device by device basis rather than system wide. Its just not as simple as taking the Kindle version or the GoogleTV version and rolling it out to all android devices



In theory moving to the prime system should see it move to the same software platform as used in the US in which case it should make bringing it to AppleTV easy
As far as I'm aware netflix is available on most android platforms and sky go has been made compatible with 95% of android devices. I do agree with your point about why it is difficult to make android compatible apps.
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Old 23-02-2014, 16:32
Dan Sette
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I'll have a go after the changeover, but it sounds counterintuitive compared with just selecting an app on the TV, which is how Netflix works.
I'm in a similar situation Panasonic TV and Apple TV. Certainly you can airplay to the TV, but wonder what the quality would be like.

Would much prefer to do it natively on the Panasonic - but given it isn't on the TV I suspect it will be a while yet. Guess I'll have to stick with Sky / Netflix.
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Old 23-02-2014, 16:32
Anika Hanson
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Seeing as they don't yet have an Android app for the US version, it maybe a while off yet.
I suppose this is one of the downsides to Android.
Ok then they probably will never have one. It could be for commercial reasons. The kindle fire devices are direct competitors with android devices for those who don't want an apple device. Having the instant streaming content is an advantage of the kindle platform.
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Old 23-02-2014, 16:35
Anika Hanson
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I'm in a similar situation Panasonic TV and Apple TV. Certainly you can airplay to the TV, but wonder what the quality would be like.

Would much prefer to do it natively on the Panasonic - but given it isn't on the TV I suspect it will be a while yet. Guess I'll have to stick with Sky / Netflix.
The quality is fine. I've airplayed from an iPad , iPhone and iPod touch and it works pretty well.
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Old 23-02-2014, 16:45
Valeron
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So far as I understand it from Lovefilm's help pages the total cost will remain the same if you don't subscribe to the Prime delivery service. There will be two debits a month, one for streaming and one for dvds, the total of the two will be the same as before. They're not saying how much of the current premium will be allocated to streaming and how much to renting dvds.

If the bulk of the subscription is allocated to streaming it might be worth taking out a Prime delivery subscription at £49 to cover online stuff, leaving a small monthly sum to be paid for DVD rentals. Not so good if they decide to allocate a token sum to streaming and most of the subscription to rentals.

If there's a Prime delivery subscription in place before the switch I can't see that Amazon could justify increasing the monthly charge as it's them initiating the change, not the customer.
I got the reply below. If i am currently paying 9.99 for Instant and unlimited DVDs (2 at a time), i have no idea of working out whether I would be cheaper buying Prime, especially as my 9.99 cost is a legacy one and the current cost is 11.99.

Thank you for your email regarding the upcoming switching process of
your LOVEFiLM subscription to Amazon.co.uk.

I would like to let you know that from 26th February 2014 LOVEFiLM
Instant will be renamed Amazon Prime Instant Video, and along with
LOVEFiLM By Post will be moving to www.amazon.co.uk.

As an existing customer your LOVEFiLM Instant subscription will be
renamed Amazon Prime Instant Video, through which you will still be able
to stream from over 15,000 movies and TV episodes at no extra cost and
without any changes to your subscription. You will continue to enjoy
the same great selection of DVDs and Blu-ray discs with your LOVEFiLM By
Post membership.

Should you have any more queries, please do let us know and we will be
happy to assist you.

Please let us know if this answered your question.
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Old 23-02-2014, 17:02
Sue_C
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They seem to have avoided answering your question completely! I guess that customer services just don't know.
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Old 23-02-2014, 17:19
wakey
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In the US, there isn't an Amazon VOD app for the Apple TV, so we may not see one here.

Which is strange as the App is on just about everything else, all games consoles, blu ray players and Roku.
Apple apparently charge significantly more for being on Apple tv than Roku/Sony etc charge.

Ok then they probably will never have one. It could be for commercial reasons. The kindle fire devices are direct competitors with android devices for those who don't want an apple device. Having the instant streaming content is an advantage of the kindle platform.
I thought I saw Amazon on an AppleTV screenshot once but I must be mistaken.

Anyway I would imagine if it isn't then its most likely Apples decision to prevent it rather than a cost thing or not wanting to be on rival devices. They have been fairly strict with not allowing services onto the device although have been a little more open recently

If you look Amazon prime focus seems to be to sell services and not hardware. Like Google their hardware is almost given away at cost and what they want is to get you into the Eco system where the money is to be made no matter what device you use.
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Old 23-02-2014, 17:23
wakey
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They seem to have avoided answering your question completely! I guess that customer services just don't know.
I'm convinced it hasn't been finalised but they have been forced into announcing it by the Guardian jumping the gun. Amazon do seem to be a company who prefer to surprise people rather than announce it and weeks later the product/service gets launched.

Imho if the Guardian hadn't jumped the gun the first we would have heard of the change would have been when the witch was made on the 26th.

This is the question I sent and the reply which makes me think this is certainly the case

I would really appreciate it if you could clarify what the costs will be
for me when this change happens on the 26th.

I currently have a 2 Disc + Streaming package which i'm grandfathered
into the reduced price of £9.99 a month. I also have a prime membership
that's active until December.

So how much will I exactly be paying as no where does it seem to be
mentioned. I don't mind the change but the lack of clear information on
this site and the amazon site isn't really acceptable
Dear Simon,

Thank you for your contact regarding the recent rebranding of LOVEFiLM.

At this stage we at Customer Services have not been provided with the
specific pricing of each component of the new service. We have been
advised that all customers will be contacted by email on or before the
26/02/2014 to explain precisely how they will be affected by the
changes.

I apologise that I could not offer you an answer to your question at
this time but hope I have been able to clarify what will be happening so
that you know you will receive the answers shortly. Should you have any
further questions please feel free to contact us again. Alternatively,
please feel free to contact us by Freephone on 0800 496 1365, we are
open until Midnight everyday.
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Old 23-02-2014, 19:48
Valeron
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"Contacted on or before the 26/02/2014". I guess we'll know soon then. Pretty poor service though.
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Old 24-02-2014, 09:44
mrkidd85
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I got the reply below. If i am currently paying 9.99 for Instant and unlimited DVDs (2 at a time), i have no idea of working out whether I would be cheaper buying Prime, especially as my 9.99 cost is a legacy one and the current cost is 11.99.

Thank you for your email regarding the upcoming switching process of
your LOVEFiLM subscription to Amazon.co.uk.

I would like to let you know that from 26th February 2014 LOVEFiLM
Instant will be renamed Amazon Prime Instant Video, and along with
LOVEFiLM By Post will be moving to www.amazon.co.uk.

As an existing customer your LOVEFiLM Instant subscription will be
renamed Amazon Prime Instant Video, through which you will still be able
to stream from over 15,000 movies and TV episodes at no extra cost and
without any changes to your subscription. You will continue to enjoy
the same great selection of DVDs and Blu-ray discs with your LOVEFiLM By
Post membership.

Should you have any more queries, please do let us know and we will be
happy to assist you.

Please let us know if this answered your question.

Does anyone know whether the latest new releases will feature?
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Old 24-02-2014, 10:07
smcbeath
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I just signed up, turned of auto renewall Its a bit of a no brainer for me anyway. I can see why those who just want the next day delivery are peeved of though.

I have never used lovefilm before, anyone know if you can download tv shows/movies and watch later or is it just streaming? It will be handy for work if I can download.
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Old 24-02-2014, 11:31
Philip Wales
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Just to go back to the whole Germany paying less, a major factor is "content". Germany is not know for it's TV/Film production, so I assume their content is mainly US/UK and Scandinavian countries. So the customers aren't going to pay top dollar for subtitles and or dubbed content.
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Old 24-02-2014, 11:47
ovbg
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Just to go back to the whole Germany paying less, a major factor is "content". Germany is not know for it's TV/Film production, so I assume their content is mainly US/UK and Scandinavian countries. So the customers aren't going to pay top dollar for subtitles and or dubbed content.
Interesting point, but there is are a couple of things that work against this theory.

Firstly, Lovefilm DE previously cost almost exactly the same as Lovefilm UK.

This compares to Watchever, the closest Germany has to Netflix, which costs a bit more than UK Netflix. Watchever is €8,99 per month and Netflix is £5,99 per month.

Finally, Germany may not have many films or TV shows that are available in the UK, but it has a very large local market (popular across the wider German speaking world as well as other European countries). These shows are very popular on Germany's Lovefilm and Watchever services.
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Old 24-02-2014, 12:46
Valeron
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I just signed up, turned of auto renewall Its a bit of a no brainer for me anyway. I can see why those who just want the next day delivery are peeved of though.

I have never used lovefilm before, anyone know if you can download tv shows/movies and watch later or is it just streaming? It will be handy for work if I can download.
It's just steaming I'm afraid.
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Old 24-02-2014, 12:59
Philip Wales
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^^ @OVBG true and you living in Germany have a better handle on this. But is it because this new service is basically being forced onto Prime customers, they have to make it more attractive to stop the argument I've used?
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Old 24-02-2014, 13:44
ovbg
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^^ @OVBG true and you living in Germany have a better handle on this. But is it because this new service is basically being forced onto Prime customers, they have to make it more attractive to stop the argument I've used?
From the way I can tell, it is being forced onto Prime customers in Germany much the same way as in the UK.

Previously, Prime and Lovefilm in both countries were very similar in what they offered, with the exception that Lovefilm DE originally didn't offer much in the way of original version content - they dubbed almost everything. (Now the Prime version will have the original soundtracks as well).

I think Prime was cheaper for a while, but when I last looked, it seemed to be that was because it offered less in Germany. I don't remember the Kindle lending library being there when I first compared. But that was a while ago.
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