Amazon Makes Bold Move to Match Apple Pricing

When Apple announces anything, people listen. So much of the buzz and hype today is about the new Apple TV, and the network content available on the streaming gadget. It often seems as if Apple has no competitor at all, and that they have hands down won the war on providing digital content.

Major online retailer Amazon.com has a rebuttal to the Apple's hype, though. While Apple TV is offering rentals of your favorite network fodder, Amazon is offering the same content for 99 cents. Only the user owns it outright. Forever.

The current offerings include programming from ABC and Fox. Amazon had been retailing the programs for $1.99 - $2.99 each, and the price drop is their rebuttal to the rental only Apple TV fare. While Amazon gave notice to the networks, they did not ask permission to alter the prices, suggesting there may be an uproar coming which my rival some of the drama on the programming offered.

While this is all good news for the consumer, the effect this may have on the perceived value of television content is unknown. Amazon has also been wooing major networks for subscription service, and the battle between Apple, Amazon, Google, and Sony over content availability and method of delivery is just starting to heat up as we fully enter the era of digital television.