Amazon To Shut Down Its Freevee App Next Month

Amazon plans to shut down its standalone Freevee app in August, according to an in-app notice to users. From a report: The free, ad-supported streaming service is directing viewers to continue watching Freevee content on Prime Video.

"Prime Video is the new exclusive home for Freevee Tv show, movies, and Live TV," the notice to readers states. "The Freevee app will be accessible until August 2025. Continue watching your favorite Free Originals and our library of hit movies, shows, and live TV on Prime Video for free, no subscription needed. Download Prime Video to get started and sign-in with your Amazon account."

There's no such thing...

[dgatwood]

Guess there's no such thing as a FreeVee.

Re:

[luther349]

its the same content just moving it to one app. its still free. its been that way on there website for a wile now.

Backdoor ads

[JBMcB]

Freevee was, in my opinion, always meant to be rolled into Prime.

Here's the order of operations:

• Start "free" ad-supported streaming service
• Start showing content from the ad-suported streaming service on Prime, with ads.
• Replace *all* content on Prime with Freevee content, with ads
• Shut down Freevee

And voila, ads are now on Prime.

Re:Backdoor ads

[93 Escort Wagon]

Well, certainly after Amazon bought IMDB anyway - given that FreeVee started out as IMDB TV. I think IMDB TV was conceived back when IMDB still had somewhat independent management.

So it's the usual way things like this progress...

You start out with an independent entity.
Next, the original people behind that entity decide they want to cash out.
Then, the company buying that entity announce "yes, we bought it but don't worry... we're leaving it alone, we certainly don't want to ruin a good thing".
Finally, after a year or two, that purchaser starts ruining that good thing - as was planned all along.

Re: Backdoor ads

[madbrain]

Yes. It sucked when Amazon release Bosch legacy on Freevee only. Even as a Prime member, you couldn't avoid the ads. Fortunately, torrents filled in this gap. You can still pay Amazon an extra $3/month not to see ads. I would rather get a $3/month price cut on Prime to not see Prime video.

Re:

[luther349]

freevee content on prime always had ads.

Re:

[itsdapead]

freevee content on prime always had ads.

Only half true: A bunch of originally ad-free "included with Prime" content got moved to (or new seasons appeared on) FreeVee, with ads. Someone here has already mentioned Bosch - Legacy, Alex Rider was another one - pretty sure there was more.

per-viewer cost

[sound+vision]

I'm guessing the advertisers paid less per viewer than the $100 Prime subscription.

I sure hope nobody's paying that just to watch some videos...

I went way out of my way to provision and set up a torrent VPS - at cost - just to avoid having to pay Amazon for anything to watch Borat 2 and The Grand Tour. (The latter wasn't even that great.) I hadn't pirated in years.

I'll buy Sacha and Clarkson a hot meal instead, if they ever want to take me up on the offer. Definitely nothing cold. We'll avoid the salad bar.

Re:

[luther349]

no just no point on maintaining two apps for streaming

I will never, ever, EVER use Freevee

[cjonslashdot]

I for one will never watch anything on Freevee. The whole reason that I cut the cable and went to streaming only was to avoid obnoxious ads and the chaotic obnoxious cable environment. That _last_ thing I want is to return that that awful kind of experience in streaming.

Re:

[luther349]

its free and well still be free on prime..

Re:

[antdude]

But Amazon Prime app requires account. Freevee didn't.

Re:

[itsdapead]

...the Prime Video App requires an Amazon account - but not an Amazon Prime subscription (yes, you're probably meant to be confused).

Re:

[cjonslashdot]

"Free" at the cost of enduring obnoxious commercials!

There wasn't much point to it anymore since

[sabbede]

Amazon started jamming commercials into their paid service. Why keep a separate Freevee when Prime is the exact same thing?

I for one am heartbroken to hear that Jeff Bezos' fortunes have taken such a sharp downturn that he was forced to run ads on a paid service. I'm sure we all feel for him in this time of trouble and will do whatever we can to help.

Poor guy.

Fucking idiots

[TrentTheThief]

I must ask why they thought a platform with commercials was a good idea when we're dumping broadcast to get away from them.

Now, put back all the good series' that were moved from prime to freevee.