Banish your fear of the subway tunnel: Amazon is letting iOS and Android users download select movies and TV shows from its Prime Instant Video service.
One of the worst things about the streaming revolution is its reliance on an Internet connection. If you’re on a trip to a remote cabin without WiFi, bored in a power outage or just trying to save on data usage while binge-watching The Americans, streaming just isn’t going to work out. Amazon announced today that Prime subscribers can now download videos at no extra charge on iOS and Android.
Amazon Fire tablets have had this functionality for a while, but now it’s coming to other Android devices, along with iPhones and iPads. Users just find the movie or TV episode they want to download and hit the download button.
While not every TV show and movie is available for download through a Prime Instant Video subscription, many of the best offerings are open for online viewing, from hit movies like The Wolf of Wall Street to wildly popular TV shows like Downton Abbey. Users will even be able to download HBO shows like The Sopranos and Curb Your Enthusiasm, which Amazon secured the rights to last year.
Amazon is the first major streaming service to offer this functionality; Hulu and Netflix only offer content when connected to the internet. This could boost Prime Instant Video’s popularity, especially among frequent flyers or parents who want to keep kids entertained on the go.
