Amazon has undertaken a major overhaul of the interface of Prime Video, its video streaming service, to make it more modern, clearer and more ergonomic. More pleasant, the result borrows a lot from Netflix.
Prime Video, Amazon’s video streaming service, isn’t exactly known for its elegance and ergonomics. Outdated, not very ergonomic, unclear, the interface is not really desirable, especially when compared to those of competing platforms. This is why Amazon has decided to modernize it by copying the model of its competitors Netflix and Disney + to adopt a new design without upsetting the viewer’s habits too much. The new interface will thus swap the blue background for a more sober and more elegant black – a strategy adopted by Netflix with its black and red tones, and the blue and gray palette for Disney+. Much more modern, the whole should make it easier to navigate. A long-term job that lasted 18 months, as reported The Verge.
Of course, some flaws are still present. For example, Prime Video always presents TV seasons in a somewhat strange way – the platform always offers to start with episode 0, which is… a trailer – and does not separate 4K and HD versions of the same film. . And of course, despite the subscription price, some content is still chargeable.
Prime Video: a more practical interface inspired by Netflix
The massive redesign of Amazon Prime Video starts with the homepage. It now has a vertical (and no longer horizontal) menu with six icons, whose names appear when you hover over them – Search, Home, Shop, Live TV, Free and My Stuff. Inside the home page, we find the best films and series, recommendations based on tastes and old viewings, top 10s, etc. The search engine better distinguishes free from paid content. So, if there is a blue tick, it means the TV show or movie is included in the subscription; but if it’s a gold shopping bag, it’s rent or buy content.
The home page contains many carousels which, while retaining the same illustrations as before, offer for the most popular programs a series of portraits and illustrations which turn into a video preview when hovered over – here too, the rendering is inspired without restraint by Netflix. The platform also takes the opportunity to highlight lesser-known categories and content. The new dedicated Live TV hub provides a guide that aggregates programming from subscription channels like AMC Plus and Paramount Plus, plus live sporting events to which Prime Video has exclusive rights, and even free ad-supported content . During a press conference, Helena Cerna, product director at Prime Video, even pointed out that with the new interface, users discovered that they had access to live television. That is to say if there was work to be done to improve the service…
Of course, the service retains its popular functions, such as the possibility of creating several profiles (a mandatory classic), the X-Ray – which allows the user to rely on a database to know who the actors are and music at the time, simply by pausing – and Alexa integration. The new Amazon Prime Video interface will be rolled out gradually starting this week. To begin with, the service will be updated on Android devices, TV boxes and televisions running Android TV as well as Apple TV. The Web and iOS versions will be adapted in the coming months.