Which is Better Amazon Instant Video or iTunes?

May 13
11:36

2015

Jason Kassel, PhD

Jason Kassel, PhD

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Apple iPad owners know iTunes. This is what you use for nearly all of your media streaming. It is what you use to get apps, music, movies, and anything else you need. For those shows and movies, though, you might find yourself envious or curious about other applications. After all, there are a lot on the market. You will want to make sure that you use the one that works for you.

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With Amazon Instant Video now available through the App Store,Which is Better Amazon Instant Video or iTunes? Articles you have another option. You can use this service to get movies and television shows, some of which you cannot find through the App Store. Before making the switch, though, you might want to know whether it is worth the time and money. You should figure out if it is better than what you have right now, iTunes, or if it is a waste. Below are some points to consider before making the switch or before ignoring Amazon Instant Video altogether.

The content is where the core of your attention will go, obviously. You want to choose one that has a large amount of high quality, popular content. You want to enjoy your television shows and movies without worrying about availability. This is not that hard, thankfully, but there are a few points to keep in mind. While some major titles are available through both services, smaller titles are a different matter entirely. You may find some smaller titles on one that you cannot find on another. You also have to remember that both will have their exclusives. iTunes exclusives are only available through iTunes while Amazon Instant Video exclusives are only available through Amazon Instant Video. If you only want to use these services to watch major titles, you should have no trouble finding something that you like with either one. If you want to dig through some lesser known titles, however, keep in mind that there are some differences.

Taking that content with you is an important part of media streaming devices. You want to watch your television shows and movies wherever you are, and you want to enjoy them without dealing with difficulties in compatibility. For iTunes, this is an issue. If you have only Apple devices, it is not much of a problem. You can access your purchases from anywhere using Apple devices or iTunes on a Windows operated PC. If you have anything else, though, you cannot access your purchases. iTunes is not available on other devices or operating systems, which means that you are limited with your options. You must have an Apple TV, iPad, or iPhone to watch movies and television shows when not at your computer.

Amazon Instant Video is more widely available. While it is not currently on Android, it is on many devices, including PlayStation consoles, Microsoft consoles, and smart televisions. Amazon also offers their own Amazon Fire TV Stick and Box. With these, you can watch Amazon Instant Video as well as other popular streaming services, such as Hulu and Netflix. This means that your purchases, as well as Prime membership if you have it, are usable from anywhere. You do not need Amazon’s own devices to make use of their media streaming service.

Neither are available with Android. While there are possible options for viewing Amazon Instant Video, like using the browser, you cannot make use of the app. The Amazon Instant Video application for Android does not work with tablets and it does come with some problems that has resulted in unhappy consumers. You may be able to use it with your Android device or Chromecast, but it is not certain.

The price is what most people care about, especially if you buy a lot of television shows and movies. If you have a Prime membership, Amazon Instant Video will almost always win when it comes to price. There is a huge selection of Prime video available to members. If you are looking at the rentals and purchases, though, that are not available through Prime or that you have to purchase because you do not have Prime, you have to start comparing. In general, prices are quite similar. This is especially true for major titles. You will find about the same prices wherever you go. Amazon does have some better deals, though, and does offer some titles at lower prices than you will find elsewhere. These deals are what make Amazon Instant Video better for the budget conscious.

Both Amazon Instant Video and iTunes have their ups and their downs. Choosing the right one for you is not that easy of a task. You will have to think about the devices that you own as well as what you prefer to watch. If you own all Apple devices, both are somewhat equal. However, if you own a mix of devices, you might prefer Amazon Instant Video. It does come out as the better option in most cases.