Amazon has finally launched Prime Video in India and here's why it might be better than Netfllix

Ending months of speculation, Amazon has finally brought its Prime Video offering to India, giving stiff competition to Netflix India. Amazon's premium video streaming service has gone live in the country from December 14 and the apps are already available for download on Playstore and iOS.

Available to Amazon’s Prime subscribers, Amazon Prime Video lets you stream TV shows and movies – both Indian and international including Amazon Original Series as well. If you're on Android and have already installed and signed in to the Amazon app, then you can start watching on the Amazon Video app by just installing it. There is no need for you to sign in again, as it looks like the Prime Video is included in the Amazon Prime subscription, making it the cheapest video streaming service.

At the moment, you can subscribe to Prime at just Rs. 499 per year, though the full price is supposed to be Rs. 999 per year. It is however not yet clear when this pricing will come into effect.

Keeping the present rate in mind, an Amazon Prime Video subscription works out to under Rs 50 per month, and even at full price would be a little under Rs 100 per month. This is a steal compared to Netflix, where the monthly subscription is Rs 650 and even, Hotstar, the homegrown alternative, which comes to Rs 199 per month.

If you're wondering whether the cheaper price has any effect on the catalogue, then you're mistaken. Unlike Netflix, which launched its services in the country in January this year without much of Indian content, Amazon is paying close attention to the local market. Apart from being in talks with several Indian studios, the company has already tied up with Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, T-Series and Mukesh Bhatt's Vishesh Films, among others. It is reportedly also in the race for bagging the streaming rights for the IPL.

Besides, one glance at the app will confirm that the company is focusing equally on Hindi movies and its own originals. The top scroll shows films like Sultan, Kabali, Kapoor and Sons and Raaz alongside Supernatural, and the Man in the High Castle. Its TV shows focus on popular picks such as The Good Wife, 2 Broke Girls and The Good Wife.

It wouldn't be wrong to assume that Amazon's combination of localised content and affordable pricing could well make it a disruptivce streaming service in India, dethroning Netflix.