Amazon Prime is adding ads and ditching Dolby

Amazon Prime Video tablet app
Pictured: Amazon Prime on tablet
// What Bezos giveth, he taketh away.
Fergus Halliday
Feb 16, 2024
Icon Time To Read1 min read

While Amazon has yet to roll out ads for its streaming service in Australia, it looks like paying to get rid of them won't just give you a better viewing experience but also one with better picture quality.

As originally reported by 4KFilme, the baseline Amazon Prime with Ads tier now no longer includes Dolby Vision HDR or Dolby Atmos surround sound on select content.

If you still want access, you'll have to shell out an extra $2.99 per month on top of the price of Prime itself. At least, that's the price in the United States. The cost of canning the in-app ads in Australia is yet to be announced.

Reviews.org has reached out to Amazon Prime Australia to confirm whether the change will also apply once ads roll out in the region.

While the move is in of itself frustrating, it's even more infuriating that Amazon more-or-less buried this detail until now. Take a look at the company's official announcement of ads in Prime Video, you won't find any mention of it.

Back in September 2023, Amazon defended its decision to introduce ads to its streaming service. Specifically, the company cited a need to increase its investment in content for Prime Video going forward.

"To continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time, starting in early 2024, Prime Video shows and movies will include limited advertisements."

Ultimately, Amazon is only one of many streaming service moving to embrace ads as a source of additional revenue in recent years. Netflix and Disney Plus both moved to introduce cheaper ad-supporter tiers of their respective services in recent years.

If that trend has you looking to change up your subscriptions, check out the table below for a round-up of your options when it comes to Australian streaming services.

Service
Details
Monthly price
More info
Binge LogoBinge Standard plan
4K streaming
2 streams
Deal: 7-day free trial
$18/mth
Foxtel Now | 2022 logo | Reviews.org AustraliaFoxtel Now Essentials
HD streaming
2 streams
Access to over 30 channels
Deal: 10-day free trial
$25/mth
Apple TV+Apple TV+ plan
4K streaming
6 streams (Family Sharing)
Deal: 7-day free trial
$12.99/mth
Disney PlusDisney+ Standard plan
HD streaming
2 streams
Deal: $139.99 for 12mths
$13.99/mth
BritBoxBritbox plan
HD streaming
5 streams
Deal: 7-day free trial
$9.99/mth
NetflixNetflix Standard + Ads
HD streaming
2 streams
$7.99/mth
StanStan Basic plan
SD streaming
1 stream
$12/mth
Paramount+Paramount+ Basic with ads
HD streaming
1 stream
Ads: Yes
$6.99/mth
Kayo SportsKayo One Plan
HD streaming
1 stream
Deal: 7-day free trial
$25/mth
ShudderShudder plan
HD streaming
1 stream
Deal: 7-day free trial
$6.99/mth
Disney PlusDisney+ Premium plan
4K streaming
4 streams
Deal: $179.99 for 12mths
$17.99/mth
Paramount+Paramount+ Standard
HD streaming
2 streams
Ads: No
$9.99/mth
Paramount+Paramount+ Premium
4K/HDR streaming
4 streams
Ads: No
$13.99/mth
NetflixNetflix Standard
HD streaming
2 streams
$18.99/mth
Rev Streaming
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Fergus Halliday
Written by
Fergus Halliday is a journalist and editor for Reviews.org. He’s written about technology, telecommunications, gaming and more for over a decade. He got his start writing in high school and began his full-time career as the Editor of PC World Australia. Fergus has made the MCV 30 Under 30 list, been a finalist for seven categories at the IT Journalism Awards and won Most Controversial Writer at the 2022 Consensus Awards. He has been published in Gizmodo, Kotaku, GamesHub, Press Start, Screen Rant, Superjump, Nestegg and more.