Apple and Amazon, rivals in the technology and home entertainment industries, may finally be friends again as reports claim that an Amazon Prime Video app will soon be launched for the Apple TV.
The move will end one of the biggest problems that users have with the Apple TV.
Amazon Prime Video On Apple TV
According to a report by Recode, people familiar with the matter revealed that Apple and Amazon are close to reaching an agreement to bring an Amazon video app into the Apple TV.
The app will allow Amazon Prime Video subscribers to watch movies and TV shows offered by the service using Apple TV.
Previously, users who wanted to watch streaming content on the Apple TV had to utilize the AirPlay feature to to connect another Apple device, such as an iPhone, to the set-top box. The iOS version of the Amazon video app is also not a fully functioning one, as users still had to visit the Amazon website to buy or rent content.
A dedicated Amazon Prime Video app for the tvOS will make it much easier for users to navigate the service's offerings directly on the Apple TV. The app may even be integrated with other Apple offerings such as Siri.
Employees of Amazon believe that the app will be released to the Apple TV in the third quarter of 2017.
Apple, Amazon Dispute
The conflict between Apple and Amazon, particularly in relation to the Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video, is highlighted by Amazon's decision to remove the listing of the Apple TV from its online store, along with Google's Chromecast. This is because Amazon did not want to sell competitors to its Fire TV line of products, and because the company wanted to sell only third-party devices that support Amazon Prime Video such as the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Roku.
Last year, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos even said that the company's Prime Video service will not come to Fire TV competitors unless an acceptable financial model is put in place. Judging from these statements, it would appear that an agreement has been made, perhaps involving Bezos and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
There is no indication on whether Apple and Amazon will end their disputes beyond bringing an Amazon Prime Video app to the Apple TV. However, it is already good news for Amazon to open up its video streaming service to loyal Apple users through the Apple TV. Apple, meanwhile, will make the Apple TV a better set-top box option with the addition of content from Amazon Prime Video, especially as Apple's plans of creating original content have not yet gotten off the ground.
Apple Siri Smart Speaker vs. Amazon Echo
However, just as Apple and Amazon have apparently come to an agreement on the Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video issue, it would seem that the two companies will soon be headed to another rivalry.
It was previously reported that Apple may be planning to unveil a Siri-powered smart speaker at its upcoming Worldwide Developer Conference. The device, which would challenge the Amazon Echo, is claimed to have the same computing power as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s.
