Amazon plots Fire TV expansion in Europe

Amazon is planning to launch its Fire TV offering in additional markets in Europe outside the UK and Germany in order to drive take-up of its Amazon Prime Video service, according to a report by Bloomberg.

According to the report, citing unnamed sources, Amazon will outline its plans including a number of deals with media companies this week.

Amazon could use the launch of Fire TV in multiple territories to drive usage of its Amazon Prime Video app. Amazon also uses Fire TV to accumulate viewer data that can be sold to advertisers.

Amazon is the second-largest provider of media player devices in the US market after Roku. A recent Conviva study found that Roku dominated US connected TV viewing hours, with a 43% share compared to 18% for second-ranked Amazon Fire TV.  Neither company has equivalent penetration of in Europe, however.

Amazon has recently expanded its TV presence in Europe, for example through the launch of Amazon Channels in France in May. Amazon is also reportedly close to finalising a deal with French pay TV operator Canal+ for the latter to provide the Amazon Prime Video service through its set-top boxes.

Amazon has also expanded the reach of Amazon Prime Video in Spain through deals with Orange and Vodafone.

In July, Amazon and Vodafone España kicked off what Vodafone described as a “pioneering agreement” that saw the operator include a subscription to Amazon Prime in its Serielovers TV pack.

In the same month Orange España struck a deal with Amazon to provide Amazon Prime as part of its convergent Love offering.