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Amazon to launch free streaming video service – Metro US

Amazon to launch free streaming video service

Amazon's free streaming service will likely have plenty of ads. Amazon’s free streaming service will likely have plenty of ads.

For those of you with an Amazon Prime subscription, the associated video streaming service has been a nice little perk. It has plenty of movies and television shows, most of which is not available on rivals such as Netflix and Hulu Plus. However, Amazon Prime costs $99 a year, and not everyone has that kind of money.

Well, us cheapskates may soon be in luck. The Wall Street Journal reported that not only will Amazon be releasing its own set-top box to rival Apple TV next week, but it will also introduce a free video streaming service. The report also suggests this streaming site will be ad-supported, so get ready for plenty of eye-rolling during “clever” Geico commercials.

Of course, the big question is how much content will be available on this free service. One would assume Amazon’s original programming, such as “Betas,”would be included. However, your guess is as good as mine regarding movies and previously released TV shows.

Follow Lawrence Bonk on Twitter @sidescrollers