Amazon Prime Video is finally getting a much-needed redesign

Amazon Prime Video may have an attractive value proposition and some great original series to watch, but its interface has always been abysmal compared to what the competition offers. Of course, the current state of affairs is the way it is, partly because what we use now is ten years old, give or take. But even then it was not so attractive.

Luckily, Amazon is finally redesigning Amazon Prime Video completely. The updated interface will be available to users this week.

On the face of it, the redesign is to modernize the look and feel and make the experience more like what you get with just about any other streaming service. But it also solves one of the biggest user complaints, and it’s not just about looks: it offers a more elegant way to determine which videos are available for free to Prime members and which have to be paid for a la carte.

The new look will be familiar to anyone who’s recently used Netflix, Peacock or other popular streaming services: it’s a series of vertically scrolling categories, each of which is a horizontally scrolling list of shows and movies.

The main navigation bar has been moved to the left side of the screen, making it easier to access when scrolling. Previously, it was glued to the top. Menu items include Search, Home, Store, Live, Free, and My Stuff. Jumping to any of them can also lead to subcategories.

According to Variety and The Verge, Amazon has been working on the redesign for 18 months. The timing is perfect: The company’s $1 billion Lord of the Rings television show will premiere this September, as will the new Thursday Football schedule. This content, along with the redesign, could help Amazon Prime Video regain attention in the video streaming space, where Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max are gaining more attention.

This week, the updated interface is rolling out to Android and popular TV streaming platforms like Roku, Apple TV and, of course, Amazon Fire TV. The Internet and iOS will appear in the next few months.