Ever since the launch of Amazon Prime(sans Prime Video) in India, the interwebs have been abuzz with speculations about the launch of its video streaming service in November. This is most likely the truth as Amazon has been hard at work on building its local content library in the past of couple months. But, in addition to taking on its rivals on the content front, Amazon is also eyeing to slug them with a competitive pricing plan, reports Mashable India.
To not only wow but also woo you, Amazon has launched Prime subscription in India at extremely affordable prices. While the subscription is available for approx. $10.99 per month in the U.S and U.K whereas the company is offering the same in India for a bare minimum of Rs. 999 (approx. $15) for a yearly subscription. But, the company has taken it a step further with the introductory offer which offers the same for a half the price — Rs. 499(approx $7.5). It, however, only includes free one or two-day shipping and now Prime Video.
To add a cherry on top, Amazon India has confirmed to Mashable that the Prime Video service will be available to Indian users under this very yearly Prime subscription (Woah!!). In a move to knock out any rival content streaming player in the market, Amazon has released the following statement,
Existing Prime members will have access to unlimited streaming of Amazon Prime Video’s content as part of their Prime membership, at no additional cost.
Amazon has just recently said it is completely committed to more investment and growth in India. So, this one power move from the e-commerce behemoth could sweep others like Netflix and Hotstar under the rug. For those unaware, Netflix’s subscription plan starts at Rs. 499 per month, the amount similar to what Amazon is currently asking for its yearly Prime subscription. In addition, this might also kill the local rival Hotstar, which offers a mix of regional and international(first to bring Game of Throne to India) content for a subscription of Rs. 1,200(approx. $18) a year.
Though the Prime Video service is still not available to Amazon users in India, it is expected to debut this month if media reports and the rumor mill is to be believed. While Netflix has focused on bringing internationally craved content to the Indian masses, Amazon is banking on abundant regional content for the success of its Prime Video service in the country.
The company has recently also inked deals with major Bollywood production houses including the likes of Dharma Productions and T-Series. It has also acquired rights to produce an animated spin-off series of the wildly successful movie Baahubali. The company has even addressed the needs of the kiddos and inked a partnership with Green Gold animation to bring their extensive library of animated content — Chhota Bheem, Mighty Raju among others — to its platform. It has also joined the rat race to acquire digital broadcasting rights to the largest cricketing event of the country — Indian Premium League(IPL).
