Observed Signal · Mar 13, 2026 · Pricing Update · Source: CNBC Technology · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Amazon Raises Prime Video Ultra Price Amid Ad Growth
Amazon announced a $2 monthly increase to its ad-free Prime Video tier in the U.S., raising the price from $2.99 to $4.99 a month and rebranding the tier as "Prime Video Ultra." The upgraded plan, effective April 10, adds features including streaming on five devices simultaneously, up to 100 downloads and 4K streaming. Amazon introduced ads on Prime Video in 2024 and continues to offer an ad-supported viewing option; the company said Prime Video maintained an average ad-supported audience of more than 315 million viewers globally. Amazon reported advertising revenue for 2025 of $68.6 billion (up 22% year over year) and ranks third in the digital ad market behind Google and Meta. The change underscores Amazon’s continued monetization of streaming through both ad-supported and premium ad-free offerings.
Major streaming publisher (Amazon/Prime Video) is shifting subscription pricing and product packaging for ad-free viewing, which influences CTV monetization, ad-supported audience composition, and advertiser inventory dynamics.
Track Amazon Signals & Market Shifts in Real-Time
Polaris7 autonomous intelligence agents track regulatory filings, primary sources, executive changes, and deal flow 24/7. Create your free Explorer workspace to monitor these entities.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Amazon increased the U.S. price of its ad-free Prime Video tier by $2 per month to $4.99, effective April 10.
- Amazon rebranded the ad-free tier as "Prime Video Ultra" and added features: five simultaneous streams, up to 100 downloads, and 4K streaming.
- Amazon introduced ads on Prime Video in 2024 and continues to offer an ad-supported option alongside the paid ad-free tier.
- Prime Video maintained an average ad-supported audience of more than 315 million viewers globally, up from 200 million as of April 2024.
- Amazon reported advertising revenue of $68.6 billion for 2025 (a 22% year-over-year increase) and is third in the digital ad market behind Google and Meta.
Connected Companies & Entities
6 Entities mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Threads tests Gems to honor valuable posts daily
Threads is testing a new feature called Gems, which awards up to 25 outstanding conversations daily with a visible diamond badge. The selection is algorithm-based, focusing on originality, timeliness, and authentic discussion, regardless of follower count. Posts or direct replies qualify, but reposts and content cross-posted from Instagram are excluded. The feature is currently limited to public US-based accounts of users aged 18 and older, though the badges are visible globally, including in Germany. Recipients get a notification and can share the badge. Users can hide the label if desired. Initial hints appeared in August via app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi. Threads aims to encourage original and engaging content, with no negative impact on reach for non-recipients.
Meta Bans TikTok Ads on Its Platforms in Multiple Regions
Meta has banned advertisements and paid marketing messages for TikTok, owned by ByteDance, on its platforms in the US, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam, effective October 8, 2026. The ban applies to both direct ByteDance ads and third-party campaigns linking to TikTok or other ByteDance services. Meta spokesperson Chris Sgro confirmed the move, citing standard practice to avoid supporting competitors. This intensifies rivalry between the social media giants, both designated as gatekeepers under the EU's Digital Markets Act. The ban excludes EU countries, but raises questions about cross-platform advertising. It follows Meta's $16.7 billion settlement with US states over youth safety, which requires TikTok and YouTube to implement similar safeguards, suggesting a strategic pressure tactic.
TV Ratings: '3-Millionen-Euro-Woche' Finale Reaches 3 Million Viewers
The German TV ratings report for Thursday shows that the finale of RTL's quiz show '3-Millionen-Euro-Woche' attracted 3.07 million viewers, achieving an 18.3% market share. The ARD crime drama 'Tiroler Blut' led prime time with 5.14 million viewers and 24.7% share. Among 14-49 year-olds, the RTL show won with a 21.4% share. The article also covers streaming charts: on Netflix, the miniseries 'Below' debuted at number one, displacing 'East of Eden'. On Prime Video, Stephen King's 'Carrie' took the top series spot. Disney+ rankings remained stable, with 'Modern Family' and 'Bluey' re-entering. YouTube's top video was Nius's livestream, with a MrWissen2go video on the US midterms in second place. These insights are based on AGF data and official streaming charts.
Track Real-Time Market Signals & Shifts
Set up custom watchlists to receive automated, evidence-grounded executive digests whenever material signals or shifts occur across your tracked landscape.