What you need to know
- Amazon detailed several changes on the way for Prime Video viewers in "the coming weeks."
- Prime Video is set to pick up a navigation bar with pre-made options, a new "Prime" choice, and add-on subscriptions from other services for easier access.
- Amazon is also revamping how recommended content is understood and displayed for users browsing different categories and topics.
Amazon has prepared a host of updates for its Prime Video service, one of which is a UI upgrade that users will immediately notice.
The company detailed what's next for Prime Video in a blog post, starting with a "content-forward" navigation bar. The bar is placed at the top of your display and features the following pre-made options: Home, Movies, TV Shows, Sports, and Live TV. Amazon states users will notice a "Prime" option, which is packed with content available to you "at no extra cost."
Active add-on subscriptions to other services like Crunchyroll or Paramount Plus will appear beside the Prime option for easier access. As such, what you were previously watching or what's recommended will appear as the hero image below.
The recommendations viewers will see have been given a heavier personal touch based on your interests and history. Amazon states that it now takes advantage of Generative AI to help users find "content that's relevant." Users browsing the "Made for You" section for movies and shows will notice simplification as Prime Video categorizes content based on your interests.
Additionally, users can find new content with the "Top 10 in the U.S." and "Trending Shows" categories in Prime Video. Movie and show descriptions have also become more concise due to Amazon leveraging LLMs (large language models).
Some smaller refinements to Prime Video enter by way of smoother animations. TVs are preparing to receive an auto-playing hero rotator. Amazon states this is designed to give users an "immersive experience" when trying to pick a show or movie to watch. Hopping into Live TV will play recommended 24/7 stations until users pick a station or leave the tab.
Amazon adds that these updates have considered its older streaming devices alongside the latest models to ensure a seamless experience. The post informs users that the updated UI will begin appearing "in the coming weeks."
The updates to Amazon Prime Video come a couple of months after the brand introduced interactive ads. The goal is to aid users in shopping while watching shows as the ads will appear as 15 to 30-second breaks. Moreover, these interact ads will appear whenever a viewer pauses their content with details about the brand to help shoppers make an informed decision.
