Amazon is to offer subscribers unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of more than 5,000 movies and TV shows.
The move follows its acquisition of the European subscription entertainment service LOVEFilm last year and makes it a significant competitor in the growing online video market.
According to research carried out by the communications network giant Cisco, the global number of internet users is already about the population of India. Cisco forecasts video will account for more than half of all internet traffic by 2014. This represents what could be a vast, multibillion-dollar global industry.
But although the global market for online video is potentially huge, there is evidence that consumers are reluctant to buy internet services, preferring to download or stream video and TV content for free.
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Online content providers such as Netflix, which is reported to have about 20 million subscribers, are increasingly offering free content alongside their paid-for content.
"The battle between content owners and pirates is now on, as they both have an interest in making access to their content as simple as possible," the Forrester analyst James McQuivey says.
"Meanwhile, casual video piracy has arrived in full force, only to have its attack blunted by the widespread availability of legal video streaming sites."
Legitimate video content suppliers are betting the mass of consumers will prefer the convenience of a legitimate service, offering content in a choice of formats, to illegal video downloads.
Although the illegal sites offer free content, they offer only internet services. Companies such as Amazon are moving to a business model that offers DVDs and Blu-ray discs along video streaming services.
Amazon was planning its online video strategy as long ago as 2008. It bought LOVEFilm's UK and German DVD rental businesses and invested in the company to acquire a significant shareholding before acquiring it outright.
LOVEFilm offers disc rental by post and online movies through LOVEFilm Player software. This can stream movies on to PCs, laptops, games consoles and the new generation of internet-connected TVs.
So far, the battle between legitimate content providers and illicit sites has been dominated by the pirate sites. Film viewers realise that despite harsh penalties in countries such as the US, the chances of being prosecuted are extremely small.
But Mr McQuivey says even those consumers who download content from pirate websites using file-sharing technology to distribute illegal copies of copyrighted films also pay for content.
"File sharers are just people who really love content enough that they believe it is worth paying for," he says. "In fact, they love video so much they actually pay for it more often than the rest. They go to the movies, rent DVDs and pay for video on demand anywhere from 1.5 to three times as often as the average US online adult.
"Just as it was with the music industry, it turns out that the people most likely to pirate are the same ones who value the content most."
But the problem facing legitimate video content suppliers such as Netflix and Amazon is they must find ways of further differentiating their online video services from those of the pirates. A key part of Amazon's strategy is to stream online video directly into the living rooms of consumers.
For the most part, pirate videos are watched via an internet connection on a PC or laptop screen. This is usually an isolated experience and not in keeping with existing consumer habits. Most people would prefer to watch films on a TV screen along with family and friends.
"Perhaps the best way to satisfy viewers is to make sure they can watch their favourite shows in the more comfortable surroundings that the living room TV offers," says Mr McQuivey.
By making films and TV shows available across a range of devices, the legitimate content providers hope to provide a service that cannot be matched by the pirates.
"Pirates can't easily support the desire for convenient access to video on multiple platforms in the way that Netflix has pioneered," says Mr McQuivey. "This means supporting devices like game consoles and connected TVs, something that we think consumers will ultimately find valuable enough to pay for."
Although analysts are convinced consumers using the pirate services will be prepared to switch to legal services, no one can as yet predict the devices they will buy.
Legitimate players such as Amazon offer content over internet-connected devices such as games consoles and connected TVs.
But as more devices such as tablet computers and smartphones connect to TV screens, the legitimate online service providers may find it hard to charge the subscription fees their business models demand.
business@thenational.ae
The specs: 2018 Kia Picanto
Price: From Dh39,500
Engine: 1.2L inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Four-speed auto
Power: 86hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 122Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0L / 100km
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World by Michael Ignatieff
Harvard University Press
Company Profile
Name: JustClean
Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries
Launch year: 2016
Number of employees: 130
Sector: online laundry service
Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
WHAT ARE NFTs?
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are tokens that represent ownership of unique items. They allow the tokenisation of things such as art, collectibles and even real estate.
An NFT can have only one official owner at one time. And since they're minted and secured on the Ethereum blockchain, no one can modify the record of ownership, not even copy-paste it into a new one.
This means NFTs are not interchangeable and cannot be exchanged with other items. In contrast, fungible items, such as fiat currencies, can be exchanged because their value defines them rather than their unique properties.
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
