 "Amazon launches Instant Video app for iPad")
The fact that Amazon is expanding by leaps and bounds comes as no surprise. To further establish its dominance in the digital media content segment of technology, the online retail giant has now launched the Amazon Instant Video app for the Apple iPad, allowing a user to stream as well as save purchased or rented videos on the tablet to be viewed later offline.
With this app available for the iPad, the release note states that an Amazon user who owns the Apple tablet can watch thousands of titles from Prime Instant Video at no additional cost with an Amazon Prime membership. A user can also have access to over 120,000 videos available from the Amazon Instant Video store by installing the app. Additionally, a user can download purchased and rented videos from Your Video Library for offline viewing. This can be useful for travelling and come in handy on airplanes, road trips, or at times a Wi-Fi connection is unavailable.
Over 120,000 titles
Commenting on this app, a report by PCWorld states that though this may sound like a really interesting app, there is a slight hiccup that may be a bit bothersome to users. It states that through this app, a user cannot buy or rent videos. To do so, users need to access a browser, which can be either on a computer or iPad to conduct transactions and then head over to the app to view the content. This may not seem very tedious, but it is one step more nonetheless.
The app also has a Watchlist feature, which lets users queue movies or seasons of television shows. PCWorld states, “Watchlist lets users queue up individual movies or whole TV seasons that they wish to view; the list is available in the cloud, so you can add a movie on your iPad and then check and adjust the list when you move to your computer. And if you do own or have rented a video from the service, it shows up in the Library section of the app. From there, you can watch a trailer for the movie, choose to watch now over Wi-Fi, download for later offline viewing, or add to your Watchlist. Although the app does let you stream audio to an Apple TV, it does not support video over AirPlay.”
Commenting on the lack of AirPlay support, Ars Technica states, “In what we think will be a thorn in the side of pretty much every Apple TV owner, Amazon Instant Video restricts AirPlay streaming to audio only. The same is true of some other video streaming apps, such as HBO Go, Max GO, ABC, and others. The restriction is likely due to some draconian licensing restriction, but Amazon would not comment on the matter to Ars.”
This app is available as free download for iPads running iOS 4.3 or later. As of now, there is no support for other iOS devices such as iPhones and iPod touch portable media players.
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