Amazon restricts Android users even more: here too it is necessary to change now

If you’re an Amazon Prime Video user with the Android app on your smartphone or tablet, you have to say goodbye to an important feature. Because Amazon restricts its Prime Video app for Android, and Google is said to be the reason.

Going forward, you will no longer be able to rent or purchase a show or movie on the Prime Video Android app that is not part of your Prime Video subscription. With the recent update to the app, Amazon completely removed the option to make in-app purchases and now just shows a button that says “How do I see this?” with instructions on how to purchase the content in question on the Amazon website.

I like Caschy’s blog gradesAmazon has not informed customers about the removal of the feature either in the app or in the changelog on the Play Store. The removal of payment options comes just days after Amazon also made the stopped selling digital products on its shopping applike Kindle e-books.

Amazon restricts Android users: these are the possible reasons

While the company hasn’t officially confirmed the rationale for the Prime Video app, it’s likely that Amazon is preparing for a change in Google Play Store policies, which it cites in the Amazon Shopping app: “In order to comply with Google’s policies To comply with Play Stores, you will no longer be able to purchase new content through the app. You can create an in-app reading list and shop from the Amazon website through your browser.”

There is no longer a “Buy” button, but previously purchased content or available shows and movies in your watch list will still be visible.

In the past, Amazon and many other sellers of digital goods have avoided paying Google the standard in-app purchase fee due to a specific interpretation of a Play Store policy. However, recent changes to this policy close this loophole, forcing Amazon and other sellers of digital goods to pay Google a 10 to 30 percent share of purchases. Rather than pay for that part, Amazon seems to prefer removing the payment option altogether, hoping that customers will switch to the site.

Google also wants to make money with purchases on Amazon

Google is working to offer alternative billing options for app developers who don’t want to rely on Play Store billing, which will initially be rolled out in partnership with Spotify. However, Google would still retain a small stake from developers who choose to go that route, so it’s unclear if Amazon is willing to join the program.

For now, at least the Android TV version still offers in-app payments, but that will most likely change soon.

The original of this post first appeared on schmidt’s blog and was supplemented by the CHIP authors with more information.

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