It is now possible to watch Amazon Prime Instant Video on any Android phone or tablet, via the latest update to the Amazon shop app.
Prime Instant Video has previously been restricted to users of Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets, and iOS users, with no way of viewing it on regular Android phones and tablets. The video uses Microsoft’s Silverlight, which is not available on Android.
The latest update to the Amazon app, available via the Play Store, changes that. On attempting to view a video through the Prime service you’ll be prompted to download the Prime Instant Video Player app, which will install separately. Since it is tied to the standard Amazon app, and the account details you’ve entered into it, there’s no additional setup required.
All the features of Prime Instant Video are supported, including your Watchlist and the Resume function, both of which are synced across devices. Performance is on a par with other devices.
No Chromecast support
Unfortunately the service does not yet support Chromecast streaming. It’s not known whether this will be added in future. Amazon has its own TV streaming device called Fire TV, which is a direct competitor to the Chromecast (albeit somewhat more expensive), so the company may opt to keep the streaming feature as an exclusive for tis own products.
The updated Amazon app is available for download now. Prime Instant Video is only available within the app in those countries where the service is already accessible through other means. This includes the UK and the US.
Download: Amazon