Amazon Prime is a paid subscription service offered by Amazon that gives users access to services

that would otherwise be unavailable, or cost extra, to the typical Amazon customer. This includes
free two-day delivery (one-day in some areas), rapid delivery for a fee through Prime Now,
streaming music and video, and other benefits. Amazon Prime also includes alternative delivery
methods through their service called Amazon Key and the proposed Amazon Prime Air. In April
2018, Amazon reported that Prime had more than 100 million subscribers worldwide.[2]

Contents

 1History
o 1.1Early history
o 1.2From 2012 - 2016
o 1.32016 onward
 2Prime Music
 3Prime Video
 4Prime Reading
 5Prime Pantry
 6Prime Now
 7Amazon Key
 8Prime Air
 9Prime Day
 10See also
 11References

History[edit]
Early history[edit]
In 2005, Amazon announced the creation of Amazon Prime, a membership service offering free two-
day shipping within the contiguous United States on all eligible purchases for a flat annual fee of $79
(equivalent to $101 in 2018),[3] and discounted one-day shipping rates.[4] Amazon launched the
program in Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom in 2007; in France (as "Amazon Premium") in
2008, in Italy in 2011, in Canada in 2013,[5] in India in July 2016[6] and in Mexico in March
2017.[7] According to Amazon, there are now Prime members in 17 countries in North America,
Europe and Asia-Pacific.[8]

From 2012 - 2016[edit]

Amazon Prime membership in Australia, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, India and the
United States also provides Amazon Video,[9] the instant streaming of selected films and TV
programs at no additional cost.[10] In November 2011, it was announced that Prime members had
access to the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, which allows users to borrow up to one a month of
specified popular Kindle e-books.[11] People with an email address at an academic domain such
as .edu or .ac.uk, typically students, are eligible for Prime Student privileges, including discounts on
Prime membership.[12]
In March 2014, Amazon increased the annual US membership fee for Amazon Prime from $79 to
$99.[3][13] Shortly after this change, Amazon announced Prime Music, providing unlimited, ad-free
music streaming.[14] In November 2014, Amazon added Prime Photos, adding unlimited storage of
files deemed to be photographs in the users' Amazon Drive.[15][16][17] Amazon began offering free
same-day delivery to Prime members in 14 United States metropolitan areas in May 2015.[18]
In April 2015, Amazon started a trial partnership with Audi and DHL in order to deliver directly into
the trunks of Audi cars, available in the Munich, Germany area to some Audi-connected car users.[19]
Amazon announced that July 15, 2015, its 20th birthday, would be "Amazon Prime Day", with deals
for prime members similar to those on Black Friday.[20] That month Amazon Prime
announced[21] signed up Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, formerly of
BBC's Top Gear, to begin working on The Grand Tour, which was released in 2016. On July 13,
2016, Amazon Prime said customers placed 60 percent more orders worldwide on "Prime Day".[22]
In December 2015, Amazon stated that "tens of millions" of people were Amazon Prime
members.[23] Amazon Prime added 3 million members during the third week of December
2015.[24] That month Amazon announced the creation of the Streaming Partners Program,[25] a
subscription service that provides Amazon Prime subscribers with additional streaming video
services. Among the programming providers involved in the program are Showtime, Starz (with
additional content from sister network Encore), Lifetime Movie Club (containing recent original movie
titles from Lifetime Television and Lifetime Movie Network), Smithsonian Earth, and Qello Concerts.

2016 onward[edit]
In January 2016, Amazon Prime reached 54 million members according to a report from Consumer
Intelligence Research Partners.[26] Several reports in January 2016 said that nearly half of all U.S.
households are members of Amazon Prime.[27]
In April 2016, Amazon announced same-day delivery would be expanded to include the areas of
Charlotte, Cincinnati, Fresno, Louisville, Milwaukee, Nashville, Central New Jersey, Raleigh,
Richmond, Sacramento, Stockton, and Tucson, bringing total coverage to 27 metro areas.[28][29]
In September 2016, Amazon launched a restaurant delivery service for Prime members in London,
England, with free delivery on all orders over £15.[30]
In September 2016, Amazon subsidiary Twitch announced features available to users with an
Amazon Prime subscription (Twitch Prime), including monthly offers of video games and add-on
content, and the ability to purchase a free subscription to a user's channel once per-month.[31][32]
In December 2016, Amazon began offering Prime membership for an alternative monthly, instead of
yearly fee, of $10.99 per month,[33] increased to $12.99 in February 2018.[34]
In December 2016, Amazon announced Wickedly Prime, an own-brand line of food and beverages
available to Prime members.[35]
Amazon announced , a service that lets customers try on clothes before they pay, in June 2017.[36]
In 2017, Amazon announced the Prime Exclusive Phone program, which offers
some smartphones displaying Amazon ads on the lock screen from companies
including LG, Motorola and Nokia at a discount.[37]