Prime Video users are already familiar with self-promotion, which can be shown before series and films, but can also be skipped. If Prime Video introduced even more extensive advertising, skipping would no longer exist in a purely ad-supported model . It remains unclear whether this model, similar to Netflix, will be cheaper or even free.

Amazon has so far had clear differences between Prime Video and Freevee made. Nevertheless, there were spin-offs from premium series such as „Bosch Legacy“ that were shown exclusively on Freevee. Compared to other AVOD services, Freevee offers more high-quality series and films from the Amazon range. It’s conceivable that Prime Video will introduce advertising, since competitors like Netflix and Disney+ also have similar pricing models in the US. It would be surprising if Amazon didn’t follow such a trend. However, Prime Video’s current pricing model is already partially cheaper than that of the competition. Especially when you consider what else is included in the Prime subscription.

If Amazon decides to go with this model, implementation could happen soon. The launch of Freevee in Germany was also delayed because the service was previously available in the US as „IMDb TV“ was known. In the near future, Disney+ is likely planning to also (in addition to the upcoming price increase) introduce an ad-supported model in Germany. It is therefore becoming increasingly clear that the fragmentation of streaming services is blossoming, and attempts are being made to compensate for losses caused by the loss of content.

In the summer of this year, Amazon FAST (FAST= Free-Ad-Supported Streaming TV) will initially be launched in the USA with 400 free-to-air TV channels. But of course nothing in life is really free and you will have to live with advertisements on an unprecedented scale. It will probably start slowly, because on the one hand data on user behavior still has to be generated, and of course you don’t want to drive users away right at the beginning with advertising terror – which has become the norm in classic TV.

The advantage is that users neither need a Prime subscription nor an Amazon account. With a Fire TV Stick that can be plugged into the TV and connected via WLAN, the „enjoyment“ with the streaming of the TV channels can start without running costs.

Streaming portals such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video can of course provide significantly more data based on user behavior and display advertising in a more targeted manner. Because the streaming market is always expanding more fragmented, and the cost pressure of streaming providers due to rising production costs and license fees, advertising-financed models spread the risk.

It’s pretty certain that Amazon will expand its range of free-to-air TV channels in other countries outside of the USA. However, it remains to be seen whether users will accept the already overflowing range of TV channels.