Amazon has always confirmed that its video streaming service, Prime Video, is helping to increase sales through its shopping app after it launched the ad-supported broadcasting service IMDb TV in the United States two years ago.
The e-commerce giant is now testing what happens when it brings its video streaming service to its shopping app and has accordingly launched MiniTV, which is an ad-supported video streaming service completely free within the Amazon India app, according to aitnews.
Amazon said MiniTV is currently only available to users in India, and MiniTV features web series, comedies, and content about tech, food, beauty, and fashion news.
Some of the titles currently available were produced by TVF and Pocket Aces, two of the largest web studios in India, or featured by comedians.
Much of the MiniTV list appears to be outdated content, and some content partners originally developed it for other platforms or spread it through their own YouTube channels.
Amazon said that MiniTV is currently available via the Android app from Amazon, and it will arrive on iOS in the coming months. In the coming months, MiniTV is adding more new and exclusive videos, without sharing its future plans in the roadmap.
Amazon's move follows a similar move from Flipkart owned by Walmart, the company's prominent rival in India, which launched its in-app video streaming service in 2019.
In recent years, dozens of companies in India have explored adding video displays to their own applications.
Amazon has also pushed hard to expand Prime Video's offerings in India in recent quarters.
The company has acquired the rights to broadcast some cricket matches in the country, and Amazon is also offering Prime Video as part of its Amazon Prime subscription in India.
The service is priced at INR 999 ($ ​​13.6 USD) for a year and also includes access to Amazon Music and faster delivery.
Prime Video had more than 60 million monthly active users in India in April, outperforming Netflix which had 40 million users.
And the new service could give Amazon another way to prevent viewers from drifting towards paid alternatives in India, such as Netflix or Disney + Hotstar.
Beyond competition, video streaming services face another challenge in India, and in late March Amazon issued a rare apology to users in the South Asian country for a political drama series over allegations that some scenes in the nine-part series had harmed the religious feelings of some people.
Amazon's apology came days after New Delhi announced new rules for video-on-demand services and social media companies.