Amazon Prime Video to Introduce Ads in India Beginning June

Starting June 17, Amazon will begin showing ads on movies and TV shows on Prime Video in India—over a year after launching ads in countries like the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Canada.

On Tuesday, Amazon informed Prime members in India via email that “limited advertisements” would soon be included in their streaming experience. The company had first mentioned plans for ads in India back in October but hadn’t provided a launch date until now.

Amazon to Launch Optional Ad-Free Prime Video Add-On in India at Introductory Price

A spokesperson told TechCrunch that Amazon will also offer an optional ad-free add-on for Prime Video, priced at an introductory rate of 699 Indian rupees (around $8) per year or 129 rupees (about $1.52) per month. No further details about the add-on were provided.

Last year, Amazon introduced a $3 monthly add-on in the U.S. to provide Prime Video users with an ad-free streaming option. That initiative reportedly helped the company secure over $1.8 billion in advertising commitments for its video platform. This week, Amazon revealed that more than 130 million U.S. viewers are now watching Prime Video with ads, an increase from 115 million the previous year.

In India, Amazon also operates MX Player—an ad-supported streaming service it acquired from Times Internet last year. The platform offers a subscription option to reduce the number of ads users see.

Amazon Prime in India is priced starting at 299 Indian rupees (around $3.50) per month, with annual plans reaching up to 1,499 rupees (approximately $17.57).

Like Amazon, streaming giants Netflix and Disney+ also offer ad-supported tiers in the U.S. and other regions.

Read the original article on: TechCrunch

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