Netflix CEO Reed Hastings had some choice words about Amazon’s Prime Instant video streaming service when quizzed about his competitors by the Wall Street Journal:
“It’s really about low-cost shipping, but why is video in there? It’s kind of a confusing mess.”
Hastings has in the past dismissed Amazon’s video subscription efforts as well, and tends to point instead to HBO and its HBO Go service as its real competitors. That’s despite the fact that Amazon has been ramping up its content library in recent months. Earlier this month, Amazon singned a deal with Epix that will give its subscribers access to the Hunger Games, Avengers and other movies previously exclusive to Netflix.
There have been rumors in the past that Amazon would spin off its video service from Prime to turn it into a full-blown Netflix competitor, but the company has repeatedly denied any such plans.
