Amazon Bans Sales of Apple TV and Chromecast
Our Take:
Last week Amazon announced that it will no longer be selling Apple TV, Google’s Chromecast and Nexus player from its retail division. The decision has baffled many in the industry, as this article from The Verge points out. On the one hand, Amazon and other tech companies have long tried to control their own ecosystems in an attempt to shut out competitors. But on the other hand, the decision is altering the company’s position as a retail store first and certainly going to alienate certain customers. This suggests that Prime Video is a key focus of the company now and it’s willing to block out competitors to stake that claim. Moreover, one analyst notes that Amazon has not only given up Apple and Chromecast sales with this move–it’s also giving up the data trove it has had on those competitors’ customers. Whatever the case, it’s definitely a bold step from the retail giant–which, given recent moves in original programming, may well be more interested in become a “video” giant.
Amazon’s decision to ban sales of Apple TV and Google’s Chromecast and Nexus Player from its retail store, including its partner stores, somehow manages to be both a total surprise and not a surprise at all.