Surprise–
To get them back, you should pay an additional $2.99/ month for the ad-free tier.
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Increase the size of / The Rings of Power … now in HDR10+ for ad-tier users.
On January 29, Amazon began revealing advertisements to Prime Video customers in the United States unless they pay an extra $2.99 monthly. This wasn’t the only modification to the service. Those who do not pay up likewise lose functions; their accounts no longer support Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos.
As observed by German tech outlet 4K Filme on Sunday, Prime Video users who pick to endure advertisements can no longer utilize Dolby Vision or Atmos while streaming. Ad-tier customers are restricted to HDR10+ and Dolby Digital 5.1.
4K Filme verified that this held true on TVs from both LG and Sony; Forbes Validated the news utilizing a TCL TELEVISION
“In the ads-free account, the television tosses up its own verification boxes to state that the program is playing in Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos. In the standard, with-ads account, nevertheless, the television’s Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos pop-up boxes stay stubbornly missing,” Forbes stated.
Amazon hasn’t described its thinking for the function elimination, however it might be attempting to cut down on licensing charges paid to Dolby Laboratories. Amazon might likewise wish to press HDR10+, a Dolby Vision rival that’s totally free and open. It likewise stays possible that we might one day see the return of Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to the advertisement tier through a renewed licensing contract.
Amazon has had a back-and-forth history with supporting Dolby functions. In 2016, it initially made Dolby Vision readily available on Prime Video. In 2017, however, Prime Video stopped supporting the format in favor of HDR10+. Amazon revealed the HDR10+ format along with Samsung, and it consequently made the whole Prime Video library offered in HDR10+. In 2022, Prime Video began providing material like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in Dolby Vision as soon as again.
Amazon wasn’t in advance about eliminations
Amazon revealed in September 2023 that it would run advertisements on Prime Video accounts in 2024; in December, Amazon validated that the advertisements would begin operating on January 29 unless customers paid additional. In the interim, Amazon stopped working to point out that it was likewise getting rid of assistance for Dolby Vision and Atmos from the ad-supported tier.
Forbes initially reported on Prime Video’s ad-based tier not supporting Dolby Vision and Atmos by presuming that it was a technical mistake. Not till after Forbes released its post did Amazon formally validate the modifications. That’s not how individuals registering for a tech giant’s service anticipate to discover a decreasing of their existing strategy.
It likewise appears that Amazon’s elimination of the Dolby functions has actually been carried out in such a manner in which it might lead some users to believe they’re getting Dolby Vision and Atmos support even when they’re not.
As Forbes’ John Archer reported, “To include a little confusion to the mix, on the TCL TELEVISION I utilized, the Prime Video header details for the Jack Ryan program that appears on the with-ads standard account reveals Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos amongst the supported technical functions– yet when you begin to play the episode, neither function is provided to the television.”
As streaming services surpass conventional media, lots of clients are growing progressively prevented by how the market appears to be progressing into something highly similar to cable television. While there are some elements of old-school television worth replicatingothers– like complicated strategies that do not make it clear what you get with each bundle– are not.
Amazon didn’t react to concerns Ars Technica sent out in time for publication, however we’ll upgrade this story if we hear back.