Amazon launches video streaming app for iPad

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Amazon on Wednesday launched an iPad app for its video streaming service, enabling users to watch film and TV series they rent or buy from Amazon on iPad at no additional cost.

The "Amazon Instant Video" app, which currently does not work on iPhone, lets iPad users to access videos they've bought or rented from Amazon's Instant Video Library, which currently includes 120,000 videos. The purchased and rented content can also be downloaded for offline viewing.

Through a service called "Whispersync," videos can be resumed from where users left off when they switch from iPad to another device like a Kindle Fire tablet, PS3 video game console, computers or internet-connected TV/Blu-ray player.

For subscribers of Amazon Prime service, the free content offered by the service can also be viewed on iPad at no additional cost.

Amazon Prime costs 79 U.S. dollars a year, qualifying users for free two-day shipping for shopping at Amazon.com and around 18,000 videos for free instant streaming.

The new app also supports Amazon's TV Season Pass, through which users buy one season of TV series and episodes will automatically be available on their iPad the day after they are aired on TV.

Amazon released the iPad app one day after Hulu, the online video streaming service, launched service on Apple TV, Apple's digital media receiver designed to play digital content from video streaming services and users' computers.

The rise of online video in recent years has put the future of television consumption at stake, flaring up new battles among tech giants for control of consumers' living room.

Content providers like Amazon, Hulu and Netflix have been striking deals with TV networks and Hollywood studios to bring more titles to their services.

Meanwhile, Apple, Google and Microsoft are also racing to deliver new TV technologies for consumer's living room, such as Apple TV, Google Nexus Q and Xbox 360 console. Enditem