Amazon Prime Video drops Dolby Vision, Atmos for basic subscribers
What's the story
Amazon Prime Video has announced that Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound are no longer part of the basic subscription. Instead, they are now exclusive to the ad-free tier, which costs an extra $2.99 (around Rs. 248) per month in the US. This change occurred after Amazon added ads to the platform on January 29. Amazon's Katie Barker told The Verge, "Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos capabilities are only available on the ad-free option, on relevant titles."
Results
Impact on smart TV users and comparison with rivals
Smart TV users have noticed that their devices now show content in HDR10 with Dolby Digital 5.1, in place of higher-quality options they had before. Comparing Amazon's prices to Netflix, which charges $22.99 (Rs. 1,908) per month for the 4K tier, is tricky due to Prime Video's original inclusion in the overall Amazon Prime subscription. However, Prime Video's monthly plan with ads costs $8.99 (Rs. 746), while Netflix offers its Full-HD service with ads at $6.99 (Rs. 580) per month.
Cost
Price hike for full fidelity experience
For Prime subscribers who pay $15 (Rs. 1,245) a month, for free shipping benefits, they'll now need to pay an extra 18% to enjoy Dolby Vision and Atmos content without ads. For those who subscribe to Prime Video as an $8.99-per-month standalone subscription and add the $2.99-per-month ad-free option, it results in a 28% price increase. The move by Amazon underlines the growing trend of price hikes in the streaming video industry.
Others
What about India?
As of now, these price hikes for Prime Video plans seem to have only taken place in the US. In India, Dolby Vision and Atmos continue to be available at no extra cost. The plans might become costlier here in the future.