Yesterday’s tvOS 11.2 launch did not mark the release of Amazon’s sought-after Prime Video app for Apple TV, but the online retail giant has now reiterated that, yes, it’s still due in 2017.
“Amazon is coming to the TV app and all Apple TVs later this year with Amazon Prime Video,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said at the WWDC 2017 keynote. That was six months ago. We’re now in December and the illusive video-streaming app still hasn’t released on tvOS App Store.
Josh Centers of The Verge reached out to Amazon and got the following statement from their spokesperson: “Thanks for checking in. Yes, you can expect the launch this year.”
And here’s what Amazon’s CEO said at Code Conference 2016:
We want our player, our Prime Video player, to be on the device, and we want it to be on the device with acceptable business terms. And if you can’t, then we don’t want to sell it to our customers, because they’re going to be buying it thinking they can watch Prime Video and then they’re going to be disappointed. And they’re going to return it.
There you have it, you can expect to enjoy Prime Video through your Apple TV later this month. The app will let you stream movies and shows purchased from Amazon on your Apple TV, including Amazon’s original programming included for free with Prime subscriptions.
Bottom line: the app is not vaporware after all, as some skeptics have been saying on Twitter. In fact, it was being beta tested by Amazon employees since October, with one alleged employee claiming that there are a lot of politics going that are pushing the launch back.