Amazon to revamp Prime with additional online content

Amazon is reportedly planning to add more content to its Prime video offering by incorporating other online movie and TV channels into the service. 

According to a Bloomberg report, which cites people with knowledge of the plans, the revamped Prime Instant Video will be similar to a cable TV subscription – without the live programming.

Bloomberg said that viewers will be able to add other online subscriptions to their Amazon Prime Instant Video accounts, while Amazon will also sell pre-packaged bundles.

The update will aim to establish Amazon’s SVOD service as a single destination for a wider range on-demand networks and could launch as soon as next month, according to the report.

As part of the update, Amazon will reportedly manage customer relationships for media companies in the same way that pay TV services do, and is said to be looking to let viewers use Amazon credentials to log into other services elsewhere online.

The news follows reports last month claiming that Amazon was in preliminary negotiations with broadcasters like CBS and NBCUniversal about carrying their channels as part of a separate live streaming offering.

Amazon’s recent acquisition of video processing specialist Elemental Technologies would gives it the platform capabilities required to launch such a live OTT service, according to reports at the time.