Amazon takes Prime to Apple as Google pulls YouTube from Fire

Amazon auto show, The Grand Tour

Amazon has launched the Amazon Prime Video app on Apple TV in over 100 countries worldwide, just as Google pulls YouTube from Amazon Fire TV and Echo Show.

The Prime Video app will be available on Apple TV 4K and previous generations of Apple TV, giving Prime Video members with Apple TV devices access to Amazon’s content line-up. Apple TV users will also be able to access Amazon Channels in the US, UK, Germany and Austria. Amazon’s library of 4K High Dynamic Range (HDR) titles are available on Apple TV 4K

Apple TV owners will have access to Amazon Original Movies and Prime Originals such as The Grand Tour, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Tick along with the upcoming premieres of Jean-Claude Van Johnson on December 15 and Phillip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams on January 12.

“There is nothing that excites us more than delighting our customers, and we are thrilled for them to stream Prime Video on Apple TV,” said Mark Eamer, Vice President of Prime Video.

“The app arrives just in time for the highly anticipated new season of The Grand Tour, which launches on December 8^th, and Prime Video members streaming on the Apple TV 4K will have the exceptional viewing experience of 4K HDR.”

Separately, Google has pulled support for its YouTube video service from Amazon’s Fire TV and Echo Show devices in the latest phase of an escalating war between the two online giants.

Google admitted that the move was retaliatory. Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, does not stock Google products including Google Chromecast, which competes with the Amazon Fire TV line, and Google Home, which competes with Amazon Echo.

The version of YouTube that is available on Amazon Fire TV is described by Amazon as a standard web view that takes its customers to the YouTube website direct, rather than a dedicated app. Amazon accused Google of blocking access to an open website.

Amazon stopped retailing Google’s Chromecast and Nexus Player products two years ago – alongside withdrawal of Apple’s Apple TV product.

Amazon Fire TV is based on the open-source version of the Android platform and does not provide access to the Google store.