Amazon bans Apple TV, Google Chromecast

Amazon will soon remove Apple TV and Google Chromecast streaming media devices from its online shopping platform. It further said that new listings for the products would not be allowed and existing inventory will be removed October 29. But, as Bloomberg points out, if only 20% of Amazon’s customers are Prime subscribers, then how does it cause any confusion at all? As of now, Prime Video doesn’t run easily on the rival’s devices.

The move to ban Apple and Google’s streaming devices comes ahead of the crucial Christmas selling period. No iteration of either device has ever carried the Amazon Prime app, which is increasingly becoming an important part of the video streaming paradigm. Hoping to secure a bigger piece of that pie, billionaire Bezos has poured millions into expanding its Prime Video Service, inking big deals to stream NBCUniversal’s critically acclaimed drama “Mr. Robot” and a multiyear licensing agreement with CBS.

It’s obvious that Amazon’s move today is part of a larger battle, but it’s hard to speculate about just what the full motivation is, and what the aftermath will be. Google’s Chromecast is routinely on Amazon’s top 10 ranking for best-selling electronics: Thursday, it was No. 6 and the first non-Amazon device on the list. The ban of the two giant media-streaming devices is in response to its Amazon’s Prime streaming, which has already become an important feature of the company over the past three years.

In other words, if a streaming media player – in this case, Apple TV, Chromecast and the Nexus Player – don’t support Amazon Prime Video, they’re getting the boot.

While the cessation of Apple TV and Chromecast sales doesn’t change that, I think Amazon is doing more harm than good here.

“It gives the appearance of being a little less than friendly for consumers who want to get on Amazon and kind of buy whatever they want”, Bloomberg editor Tom Giles said.