Isn't it a total drag how you can't stream Amazon Prime videos on Android? And don't you wish you could get a discount on Prime if you're not actually watching any of that video? Well, Eric Neuman actually got one. And all he had to do was ask.


It wasn't even hard. Eric explains it on his Tumblr, but the process basically comes down to two steps. Step one, fill out and send this form letter he wrote up via Amazon's "Contact Us" page:

I would like a discount on my prime service due to the lack of support for mobile streaming on my device. I have a [ Your device ] and I cannot stream video. The advertised service for amazon prime streaming video promises mobile streaming but I am unable to do so due to the Amazon embargo on most of the world's mobile devices. It seems that I am being charged the same amount as people who can do mobile streaming (kindles, IOS), but I'm not getting the same service. Please reduce my monthly fee accordingly.



Thank you,

—[ YOUR NAME ]


Step two: wait.

Here's what he got in response, and maybe just maybe you could be lucky enough to receive it as well:

Hello,



I'm sorry for your disappointment about not being able to stream Amazon Instant Videos on Android mobile devices.



Currently, Amazon does not support Amazon/Prime Instant Videos on Android devices.



We are working to expand our Amazon Instant Video service to a broader selection of devices in the future.



When Amazon Instant Video is made available on a new device, it appears on our Compatible Devices page:



http://www.amazon.com/gp/video/ontv/…



We've received many requests from the customers to release an Android app for Instant Video streaming and our development team is working in this regard and we hope to make Amazon Instant Video available on Android devices in the near future.



I've also forwarded your feedback to our Amazon Instant Video Development team. Customer feedback like yours is very important in helping us continue to improve the experience of using our digital video service. It is an important part of upcoming developments in our Amazon Instant Videos service. I appreciate that you wrote about this so that I can point out the increasing demand for it. As this involves many teams and individuals, I'm unable to predict the current time-line.



Meanwhile, as an exception and as a compensation for the inconvenience caused, I've issued a 25% refund i.e. $20 on your Prime membership. Refunds typically process within 2-3 business days and appear as a credit on your statement. You'll receive an automatic confirmation e-mail when the refund is processed.



I hope this helps. Thank you for choosing Amazon.com.

Best regards,

Prateeth

What a pleasant surprise! And moreover, it seems to be the first official confirmation that an Android version of the video app is in the works. Good news, but not especially helpful until the app actually shows up.

As for the discount, success is far from guaranteed but it's more than worth trying for considering that it's so easy—especially with Prime's price possibly going up. At the very least, enough people bugging Amazon about an Instant Video Android app should at least light a fire under their dev team. Money back? That's a bonus. [simple actually via Reddit]