Amazon Prime subscribers can now download movies and TV shows for offline access on iOS and Android

Amazon is now letting Prime subscribers download video content such as movies and TV shows for offline browsing on Android and iOS devices. Previously, offline access was limited to video content that has been purchased by the customer, but that functionality expanded today to the video library that's available to Amazon Prime subscribers.

At the moment, offline access is not available for every movie and TV show due to licensing limitations. Some of the titles that are currently available for download include Amazon’s own shows, as well as titles from other publishers such as The Good Wife, Sons of Anarchy, and The Hunger Games. One particularly interesting addition to the list are the HBO shows that Amazon recently included in its library, such as Girls, Entourage, and The Wire.

Although offline access is a welcomed feature for travelers, the implementation of the functionality is a bit confusing. For instance, there's no way to figure out which movie or TV show has already been downloaded and is available for offline access. The user will just have to remember the download. Another detail to consider is that Prime subscribers will have about 15 to 30 days to watch a movie or a TV show once it has been downloaded.

It's also worth noting that this is not an entirely surprising move for Amazon. Previously, offline access was available for Amazon Prime subscribers who owned a Kindle Fire tablet. However, given the relatively low market share that Amazon controls, the expansion to the two leading mobile operating systems is likely to have a significant impact in the Amazon Prime experience for many users.

In the context of Amazon's battle with Netflix, this recent move places the two video content providers at two opposite ends of the spectrum. Netflix has made it clear that it has no intention of letting users download video content for offline access. Amazon, on the other hand, took a jab directly at Netflix in the press release that announced the new feature. Have a read for yourself:



What do you guys think of the new offline access feature for Amazon Prime subscribers? Does it make the $99 yearly subscription a bit more tempting?