Prime Video is leveling up its navigation with a series of interface upgrades. It says “Bringing clarity and simplicity back to streaming.” The global rollout of the changes began on Tuesday and will continue over the coming weeks. The streamer's last revamp was in 2022, when it introduced a new navigation feature and top 10.
Ease of use is the primary motivation for the platform redesign, which applies to smart TVs and living room devices like Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV, as well as Apple and Android devices. The update includes improvements to the platform's content navigation and search capabilities, new AI-powered viewing recommendations, and the ability to use a single login credential to access all content included in your Prime membership, including additional subscriptions like Max and content available to rent or purchase.
“This is really starting to deliver on the idea of being a destination that houses a ton of the streaming content that you love,” Kam Keshmiri, vice president of design at Prime Video, told CNET. “That's something that you don't see very often anywhere else. So for us, delivering on this idea of a unified platform and a unified aggregation hub is a really big step forward.”
read more: Prime Video: 33 of the best TV shows you should definitely watch
Prime Video's new user experience has been streamlined for ease of use.
It's been roughly 18 months since the company brought this interface overhaul to life, and during the Amazon Studios first look event, Keshmiri told CNET about some key details viewers should look out for in this Prime Video relaunch.
One login for your entertainment hub
One of the biggest highlights of this new rollout is single login access for Prime Video. For example, if you subscribe to Max and Starz via Prime Video Channels, you'll only need one click to open these apps. You'll no longer need to enter separate credentials. Prime Video aims to remove a series of frustrating hurdles and make it easier for you to access the titles you want.
You can also browse titles and manage your subscriptions directly from the redesigned navigation bar. US users can access over 100 add-on subscriptions along with deals and bundles through the “Subscriptions” destination button.
“That's the kind of thing that customers get frustrated about,” Keshmiri said. “I have 10 subscriptions, and I'm in the same situation, and I want to have one set of algorithms and recommendation systems that can kind of understand the entire entertainment experience. That's what we're really focused on. And that's what's really exciting about where we are now as a destination for all that aggregated content and all our partners.”
Navigation Upgrade and Sports Hub
Prime Video's navigation bar already has destinations for “Home,” “Movies,” “TV Shows,” and “Live TV.” Now, sports has its own button in a new placement next to active add-on subscription channels. The sports button, placed at the top of the screen, allows easy access to Thursday Night Football, the WNBA, women's soccer, and a growing collection of on-demand games.
“Right now we have a dedicated site where you can watch all of our live sports, as well as all of our other sports and on-demand stuff,” Keshmiri added. “And over time it will become a place where more leagues and sports themselves will appear, and we'll have more content about those sports. We're building an amazing ecosystem for sports fans, starting with a destination that everyone can access and then experiencing through the top navigation.”
Prime Video is also looking to improve how you find everything within the app. Enhanced organization will make it easier for viewers to know what content is included in Prime and what titles are paid titles. Logos that appear on each title card will make it easier to distinguish Prime content from subscription content from platforms like Starz and Crunchyroll. Also look out for the yellow shopping bag icon that identifies TV shows and movies available to rent or buy.
Another new addition to the app is a rotator graphic that appears at the bottom of the home screen, displaying a selection of your favorite titles available to watch on Prime Video.
Improved AI-powered recommendations
While personalized viewing recommendations are nothing new for Prime Video, the company is now using generative AI to enhance its users' unique viewing experiences. Content collections such as the “Made for You” category within the “Movies” and “TV Shows” tabs include a variety of titles tailored specifically to a user's interests.
Content will be categorized and categorised by specific tastes, creating a different viewing experience for each user profile. Personalised recommendations as well as collections such as “Trending Shows” and “US Top 10” will be regularly updated and made easy to discover.
The Boys is one of many original scripted series available exclusively on Prime Video.
Intuitive Streaming Experience
From afar, the new Prime Video experience may look similar to the one you're used to, but it's not: Intricate animations, page transitions and zoom effects make for a “smooth, seamless experience,” Keshmiri said.
A hero rotator graphic now displays featured content recommendations, adding an immersive feel to your viewing sessions, and the addition of a “Live TV” option will automatically play 24/7 channels and continue playing regardless of whether you view the content in full-screen mode or exit to browse other content options.
“Personally, I'm very proud of the work that's been done there and the quality of how they're expressed,” Keshmiri added. “Rather than creating a piece that's loaded with taxpayer money and noise, they've zeroed in on beautiful stories, content and the intent of the creators, and put it all together in a beautiful, natural way.”
Prime Video is included with your Prime membership, but you can also sign up for a standalone subscription starting at $9 per month to enjoy ad-supported streaming. Check out more articles about streaming services, including how to watch without ads.
