- TV box expected to launch this year
- Will feature live TV and video on demand services
- Firm believed to be in talks with three major broadcasters about the service
By Mark Prigg
|
Amazon is developing a pay-TV streaming service with live shows, it has been claimed.
The so-called ‘Kindle TV’ service has been discussed with at least three major media companies, according to reports.
The service is expected to combine live TV with Amazon’s existing Prime TV and film on demand service.
Coming to a living room near you: Amazon CEO and chairman Jeff Bezos holds up the firm’s Kindle tablets. It is now believed to be developing a set top box to stream video to a TV
Amazon already offers on-demand TV shows and movies free to customers who are members of Amazon’s premium shipping service Prime, in both the UK and US.
It is believed the service could use a low cost box similar to Roku’s, or Apple’s TV box, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Earlier reports claim the set-top box is being developed by Amazon’s Lab126 division in Cupertino, close to Apple’s campus, and is being run by Malachy Moynihan, a former vice president of emerging video products at Cisco who also worked for Apple.
It comes as Amazon has been ramping up its video content.
Amazon invested about $ 1 billion in content in 2013, according to Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Youssef Squali.
Last year it introduced 14 televisions pilots, which it financed, and is now monitoring customer feedback to decide which ones to produce as full series.
Alpha House, starring John Goodman, the Hollywood actor known for his roles in The Big Lebowski and Argo, is a pilot produced by amazon, and could eventually be watched on a Kindle TV box
The Amazon shows included Alpha House, starring John Goodman, the Hollywood actor known for his roles in The Big Lebowski and Argo.
Bill Murray, of Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day, also appears.
Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios, the unit that is creating the shows, said: ‘I think the distinction between a regular TV show and an online TV show will soon fade away.
Apple’s tiny TV set top box is believed to be a precursor to a full TV system to be unveiled next year
‘It just makes sense that if you’re trying to decide what TV show to make, it might be a good idea to ask customers which one they like.’
Each pilot is available on Amazon Instant Video or Lovefilm for free, with viewer feedback deciding which show will get a full series order from the company.
The company has also paid to secure exclusive streaming rights to hit shows such as Downton Abbey.
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