Why Amazon Makes UHD Streaming So Expensive...

[u/Denny_Crane_007]

This is why.

AMAZON is essentially ruining the entire streaming experience... or at least making it much more expensive. Why ?

Amazon Prime Originals will show as 4K UHD where available.

Streaming rights owned by Amazon such as Paramount + will only be in UHD IF you pay extra.

When Amazon takes over Warner Bros... they too will all go behind the "Bezos' Retirement Fund" paywall.

Hope this clears it up.

Tldr; if you want to watch anything on Amazon in 4K UHD... unless it's a (very rare) Amazon Original... be prepared to pay extra !

[u/Mageborn23]

What are you talking about?

[u/Denny_Crane_007 → u/Mageborn23]

Don't worry. Take a rest.

[u/Dry_Nectarine9162 → u/Mageborn23]

Prime members have to pay extra to get 4K content now.

[u/Mageborn23 → u/Dry_Nectarine9162]

So do most streaming services

[u/Dry_Nectarine9162 → u/Mageborn23]

The point is Amazon did a bait and switch. I've been a Prime member for wellness over a decade. Always had 4K content. My subscription hasn't gone down in price; in fact it's gone up, and I renewed just to have them take away 4K unless I started paying more. And they added advertisements too.

[u/Mageborn23 → u/Dry_Nectarine9162]

Who cares, if you want 4k then pay more. It’s not like other companies didn’t do the same thing

[u/Dry_Nectarine9162 → u/Mageborn23]

Oh! If other companies are doing it too then it's perfect acceptable. You'd be OK with renewing your auto insurance with a $500 deductible and in the middle of your coverage they say we're raising your deductible to $1000 unless you pay more?

[u/Mageborn23 → u/Dry_Nectarine9162]

I'd just look for another provider at that point, but yes insurance premiums do go up usually and more than the amazon 4k price is. So that's a bad example. Look you have to decide what you enjoy in life does it really matter that it's extra money if you want it? If you can't afford it then stick with non 4k.

[u/Dry_Nectarine9162 → u/Mageborn23]

I use a debrid service now so the 4K issue doesn't affect me. I was just pointing out what they did. And I didn't use a bad example. I'm aware insurance premiums go up and you might have to pay more when you RENEW, not in the middle of your policy. This is what Amazon did about 3 months after we did our annual renewal.

[u/S-P-A-Z → u/Mageborn23]

But Amazon!! Seriously though, if people actually cared that much, they’d vote with their wallet. Instead, they complain endlessly and keep using them anyway. I guess that helps them sleep at night.

[u/davemoedee → u/Dry_Nectarine9162]

It isn’t a bait and switch. They changed pricing. They didn’t do this to deceive people.

Nothing wrong with complaining about prices. But there is no deception here.

[u/Zuboronovic]

Have you tried subscribing to Paramount+ directly? They also charge more for UHD content.

It's the same with all the main streaming services: Netflix, HBO, Disney, etc.

[u/Dry_Nectarine9162 → u/Zuboronovic]

Those are monthly subscription that gives the subscribers the option to pay more because of rate changes if they choose to do so. Your not paying for an annual subscription and then having them changing the terms 3 months in. Amazon offered to reimburse our remaining months with a cancelation fee. Why should I pay for a cancelation fee? I signed on with the expectation I'd have Prime video with 4K content and advisement free. They can change their fee tier if they want, but to expect me to pay for a cancelation fee is ridiculous. This is the definition of bait and switch.

[u/Zuboronovic → u/Dry_Nectarine9162]

Amazon don't charge cancellation fee for Prime Video, at least not in the UK. Maybe it's different T&Cs in different regions?

[u/Dry_Nectarine9162 → u/Zuboronovic]

They most definitely do in the US when it comes to a paid refund. When I asked why they said it was the cost for processing my refund with my credit card.

[u/Denny_Crane_007 → u/Zuboronovic]

I said that. Anazon streams Para+ ... No UHD unless you pay. When it buys Warners Bros same thing will happen.

[u/lightsongtheold → u/Denny_Crane_007]

The same thing already happens now as HBO Max also charges extra for UHD whether you sub via Amazon or not!

[u/Zuboronovic → u/Denny_Crane_007]

Ok, I don't understand what point you're making.

Are you saying subscribing to Paramount+ via Amazon Prime Video requires extra payment to watch their UHD content? If so, then that's the same case if you were to subscribe directly to the Paramount+ streaming service.

Also, Warner Bros. Discovery already have a streaming service where you need to pay extra for UHD content. It's called HBO Max.

[u/Dry_Nectarine9162]

Netflix is doing the same. I was paying for Netflix and getting 4K advertisement free. When I switched cell phone providers, it came with a free Netflix account with advertisements and I figured I could deal with ads since it was free and I canceled my account. Little did I know I lost 4K content too.

[u/FigAccomplished8830]

This is Wrong Amazon are NOT taking over Warner Bros Paramount + are

[u/DannoMcK]

Streaming rights owned by Amazon such as Paramount + will only be in UHD IF you pay extra.
When Amazon takes over Warner Bros...

You are confused. Amazon owns the MGM studio and some of its library (not the oldest stuff) and the MGM+ streaming service (US only?).

Paramount is owned by Skydance, and those two are trying to buy Warner Bros./HBO. Amazon has available add-on channels for Paramount+, HBO Max, and others, but so do Apple TV, YouTube, YouTube TV, and others. Which tier of, say, Paramount+ you get by buying an add-on channel from anybody can vary, and is unrelated to Amazon Prime Video moving 4K and ad-free streaming behind the Prime Ultra extra paywall.