After an agonizing wait, Apple TV 4K finally supports Amazon Prime Video

By Simon Cohen Updated December 7, 2017

amazon prime video on apple tv 4k news example 2 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Since Apple announced its Apple TV 4K, and followed it up with confirmation that Amazon Prime Video would finally make an appearance on the platform, fans of the set-top streamer have been eager to find out exactly when this would happen. This furor was further stoked by claims that the app had been ready “for months.”

Well, the wait is finally over; the Amazon Video app is now available on Apple TV 4K. That’s no doubt welcome news to Apple TV users who have been waiting — perhaps not so patiently — for an alternative to Hulu and Netflix, and putting to bed a storied cycle of rumors that have persisted for several weeks that the release was imminent.

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Having the app available opens Apple TV 4K users to even more content to watch, as Amazon just so happens to have a pretty kick-ass line up of 4K shows and movies. And really, what’s the point in owning a 4K TV, and a 4K Apple TV, if you’re limited in what you can watch?

That said, there are some points to keep in mind, as the current version of the Amazon Video app on the Apple TV 4K is subpar when compared to others — primarily that it only outputs in stereo sound, rather than the 5.1 like you find on versions of the app on other devices. It’s also less graphically rich than other apps available on the Apple 4K TV. Hopefully a future update will iron out the kinks.

Also worth considering is whether your setup can handle 4K at all — just because you can access 4K streaming content doesn’t mean you’ll get true 4K UHD. Amazon notes that you’ll need a minimum of 15Mbps of bandwidth for the full experience, while also pointing out that Netflix and YouTube recommend 20Mbps for 4K.

The good news for apple is that the release comes during the all-important holiday sales period. While it’s admittedly cutting it close (Black Friday and Cyber Monday are now well and gone), being able to tell customers that their 4K library now includes Amazon video content when they fire up their brand new toy should help stem the tide against Roku and Amazon’s own devices.

Update: This article has been revised following the official release of the Amazon Video app on Apple TV 4K.

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Contributing Editor, A/V

Simon Cohen is a contributing editor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section, where he obsesses over the latest wireless…

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