Amazon Video: New Pricing, AGAIN

[SyCoREAPER]

Hello,
Thank you for being a Prime Video Ad Free subscriber. We're writing to let you know that on April 10, 2026, Prime Video Ad Free will become Prime Video Ultra with enhanced viewing features, and your subscription price will increase to $4.99/month. If you are a Prime Annual plan member, you can also switch to an annual Ultra subscription for $45.99/year (23% annual savings).

Prime Video Ultra elevates your Prime Video experience with these features*:

Ad-free streaming: Watch Prime movies and TV shows without interruptions
4K UHD video: Stunning clarity in four times the resolution of HD
Dolby Atmos: Immersive spatial sound, creating a cinematic experience
100 downloads for licensed content: Even more offline viewing options [up from 25]
5 concurrent streams: Perfect for larger households [up from 3]
From 04-10-2026, your subscription will automatically renew at $4.99/month, unless you cancel. No action is needed to continue your subscription and you can cancel at any time here.


We hope you enjoy watching Prime Originals, live sports, and more on Prime Video.

Prime Video

(*) Live TV and events, like sports, and other select ad-supported content and add-on subscriptions may still include ads with Prime Video Ultra. The concurrent stream and download limits apply across your account profiles, and sub-limits per title, device, and provider, may apply. 4K UHD video, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos features apply to Prime movies and TV shows and depend on your internet service bandwidth and device capabilities. Not all content is available in all resolutions.

 

[SyCoREAPER]

This is also confirmed to mean that 4K is behind a paywall.

 

[BerryBubbles]

It's just never ending with these streaming services.

Does it actually cost a service more to provide 4K? I can't imagine how except maybe server space.

 

[notforhire]

yep, I received that lovely missive earlier today. how 'bout that cord cutting, everybody??

 

[SyCoREAPER]

It's all been the plan since the advent of streaming threatening disc's. Netflix creates streaming with the vision to compliment, not replace home media. Studios see this as a threat, create their own streaming services.

Now we have a pissing match and prices keep going up due to "licensing" .
Suddenly people are paying half a movie a month to stream mostly repeats. So what's the next logical move? Milk it.

Let's force them to stream by offering it that way only as well as digital. We can cut piracy and take their digitally "purchased" movies away at any time and make them buy it again.

Corporate greed emanating through the halls stinkier than ever, how else can we milk this? Oh, ads! Oh multiple screen fees! 4K fees! And just keep raising them now that consumers have no choice.

Bam, piracy from what I've seen in higher than ever.


^That's a true story that right there. Back in my day we had a banjo an a spit bucket 《‐ ok that last bit was a lie.

As for 4K, it costs companies like Amazon nothing. They have their own servers. It's electricity and minor repairs. And if anyone wants to argue bandwidth, the same 4K stream sits below today's VP9.x and old AVC in size yet it visually outperforms both.

That said this trend will continue until something big enough happens to burst the bubble

 

[notforhire]

It's all been the plan since the advent of streaming threatening disc's. Netflix creates streaming with the vision to compliment, not replace home media. Studios see this as a threat, create their own streaming services.

Now we have a pissing match and prices keep going up due to "licensing" .
Suddenly people are paying half a movie a month to stream mostly repeats. So what's the next logical move? Milk it.

Let's force them to stream by offering it that way only as well as digital. We can cut piracy and take their digitally "purchased" movies away at any time and make them buy it again.

Corporate greed emanating through the halls stinkier than ever, how else can we milk this? Oh, ads! Oh multiple screen fees! 4K fees! And just keep raising them now that consumers have no choice.

Bam, piracy from what I've seen in higher than ever.


^That's a true story that right there. Back in my day we had a banjo an a spit bucket 《‐ ok that last bit was a lie.

As for 4K, it costs companies like Amazon nothing. They have their own servers. It's electricity and minor repairs. And if anyone wants to argue bandwidth, the same 4K stream sits below today's VP9.x and old AVC in size yet it visually outperforms both.

That said this trend will continue until something big enough happens to burst the bubble

and then the cycle starts all over again

 

[SyCoREAPER]

and then the cycle starts all over again

Yup, pirate stage apparently has been unlocked in the 2026 Remaster of the cycle

 

[BerryBubbles]

@SyCoREAPER

Good info! Thanks for the detailed explanation. I appreciate it. Consumers lose again....

 

[mustang7757]

They all going up unfortunately