What They Say
Amazon has now allowed the use of Netflix on the Echo Show Smart Display. Netflix support is available for all generations of Echo Show devices, from the first-gen down to the most recent Echo Show 8. The lone exception is the Echo Spot which does have a screen but one that’s too small for comfortable watching, especially considering the angle it’s on.
The deal leaves YouTube as one of the main apps that is not on the devices because of a tense relationship between Amazon and Google, although it can be accessed using a browser.
What We Think
It hadn’t occurred to me that Netflix wasn’t available as an app (although, presumably it was previously available via a browser). I have a couple of Echos, one connected to my hi-fi for music and the other in my office, but I don’t use them much. I have a digital photo frame, but I rarely get around to updating the images on its USB, so I could see an Echo Show as a convenient DPF using the cloud. Maybe I should add one to my Christmas wish list!
Separately, I saw a report that Netflix is developing an audio only mode. That’s not surprising. Once you have digital media, bits are just bits and it must be hard to resist adding new services once you have the account management and licensing set-ups done. (BR)
