Rumor: Is Amazon Rolling Out Netflix Competitor for Prime Members?

Posted 01/30/2011 at 3:32pm | by Justin Kerr

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Several companies are scrambling to enter the arena with Netflix before it’s too late, and if an Engadget tipster is right, Amazon might just be the first serious competitor to step up to the plate. Screenshots were obtained by a reader which showcased an unlimited video streaming section that was included as part of his Prime membership. At just $79 per year the free shipping alone made a Prime membership worthwhile for many Amazon customers, but if this deal ends up being true, then the pot has been sweetened considerably.

The watch instantly section claims to offer “unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of 5,000 movies and TV shows”, and the lineup seems to mirror Netflix’s current offering fairly closely. The resolution advertised was only 480p, but presumably this too might change in time.

Unfortunately nobody else has been able to duplicate the screenshots so they are either a really convincing Photoshop project, or an accidental leak/preview of what the future holds for Prime members. What do you think? Does this pass the sniff test, or do you smell a scam?

Image Credit: Engadget