Amazon Prime Video to include ads in India from June 17 – Entertainment News

Starting June 17, Amazon Prime Video will roll out limited advertisements on movies and TV shows for all paying users in India, marking the latest move by a major streaming platform toward ad-supported monetisation.

Indian users who wish to retain an ad-free experience can do so by paying an additional Rs 699 annually or Rs 129 per month, over and above the standard Prime membership fee of Rs 1,499 per year. However, content from Amazon MX Player will include ads even for users who opt for the ad-free upgrade.

Ads are already present for Prime Lite subscribers, for those watching content from Amazon MX Player on Prime Video, and in select live sports programming. All other movies and shows are currently ad-free for Prime members. Users who prefer not to continue with their membership after the changes can cancel anytime and request a pro-rated refund via their Amazon account settings, a company spokesperson said.

Amazon first revealed its plans to introduce ads on Prime Video content in India in October 2024, as part of a broader push to expand its ad-supported streaming model. The move mirrors Amazon’s global strategy, which began rolling out in the US and select markets last year.

The move also expands Amazon’s existing hybrid model and brings it in line with how rivals operate. JioHotstar provides three subscription tiers – Mobile, Super, and Premium — with only the highest tier being fully ad-free. Sony LIV, meanwhile, displays ads even for premium users in certain content categories such as sports and reality shows. Netflix has introduced ad-supported plans in markets like the US, Canada, and the UK, but has yet to launch such a model in India, although reports suggest it may be considering a free, ad-supported tier in select Asian markets.

Amazon emphasised that no changes will be made to the pricing or features of the base Prime membership. Amazon offers Prime Video as part of its bundled Prime subscription, available in three pricing tiers: Rs 299 per month, Rs 599 quarterly, and Rs 1,499 annually. It also offers a more affordable Prime Lite plan at Rs 799 per year, which includes access to the full Prime Video library with ads, limited to streaming on a single device (TV or mobile) in 720p HD quality.

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