Microsoft has been trying to populate its app store, pushing every development framework, from UPW to PWA, to entice developers to participate. However, there has been some movement in the opposite direction, with developers and brands exiting the Microsoft Store instead. That store just got a great addition to its list of apps, but while the Amazon Prime Video app does offer some convenience, oddly enough it also has an undisclosed limitation.
It has always been possible to access Amazon Prime Video from any web browser, so one might wonder why bother with a separate app anyway. In addition to keeping a few separate activities, there is actually a practical advantage to this new Windows application that the browser experience cannot offer. Similar to what the Prime Video iOS app offers, subscribers will also be able to download videos for offline viewing.
However, that may have a limitation that neither Amazon nor Microsoft are saying in advance. The Verge reports that almost all of the videos they tried to download peaked at 720p, even if the video appears at higher resolutions. That said, Amazon does not guarantee exactly what resolution a video can be downloaded in, so it will be a matter of trial and error.
Of course, you can always watch videos in higher resolutions, but you will have to do it via streaming, either from the app or from a web browser like before. The app also offers Amazon Prime Video’s popular value-added features, like X-Ray and IMDB integration, so you don’t miss a beat using the native app.
The Amazon Prime Video app in the Windows Store is available for free. Of course, it presumes you already have a Prime Video account, which requires a monthly subscription fee of $ 8.99 unless you’re already an Amazon Prime subscriber who pays $ 119 a year.
