Amazon Prime Video is currently in the process of changing its service policy. Users who subscribe to the ad-supported package will no longer be able to watch movies and TV shows in Dolby Vision and Atmos. If they want these features back, they will have to upgrade to a higher-priced package without ads.
This information was first discovered by 4KFilme, a website that focuses on German cinema news, which found that their various branded TVs were not displaying HDR10 video and Dolby Digital 5.0 sound on Prime Video.
Later, Amazon spokesperson Katie Barker confirmed to The Verge that this was not an error, but rather a deliberate move by Prime Video to limit Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to specific content in the ad-supported package.
Initially, Amazon Prime Video in the United States was part of the Amazon Prime membership, which cost $15 per month or $139 per year for free two-day, one-day, and same-day shipping, along with ad-supported Prime Video. Now, subscribers have to pay an additional 18% to access full-fledged Prime Video content.
As for the standalone Prime Video service with ads, it is priced at $8.99 per month, with an additional $2.99 for Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and ad-free viewing. This means users would have to pay a total increase of 28%.
In Thailand, Prime Video currently offers a package for 149 baht per month, and they also have packages in partnership with AIS, which are priced at 149 baht for 3 months and 999 baht for 1 year.
TLDR: Amazon Prime Video is changing its service policy, restricting Dolby Vision and Atmos access to certain content for users on the ad-supported package. Subscribers will need to upgrade to a higher-priced package without ads to regain access to these features. The changes also include additional costs for standalone Prime Video services and different pricing options in Thailand.
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