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Amazon Video is now the third biggest video streaming site

Updated Dec 19th, 2018 9:19PM EST
Amazon Video
Image: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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A new report from Sandvine reveals that Amazon’s big money plays on developing original content and securing exclusive licensing deals is paying off. Sandvine’s latest research data reveals that Amazon is now the third biggest streaming video site on the web, following behind Netflix and YouTube.

While Amazon’s share of downstream internet traffic is relatively low — 4.3% to be exact — the fact that Amazon is making waves at all is no small feat. As Quartz points out, Amazon three years ago didn’t even place in the top 10. Indeed, Amazon’s share of downstream internet traffic just three years ago was a paltry 1.3%.

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Of course, as the popularity of Amazon Video has taken shape alongside the ongoing rise of Netflix, the popularity of BitTorrent continues to trend downwards as it now has a share of less than 2%. This of course shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone who has been keeping an eye on the video streaming space over the past few years.

Following behind Amazon Video iTunes with a 2.91% share of downstream traffic and Hulu with a 2.68% share.

The following Sandvine data, courtesy of Recode, shows how Amazon is slowly but surely playing catch-up to more established streaming video services.

Undoubtedly, Amazon’s decision to take a page out of Netflix’s playbook and invest heavily in original content is paying off swimmingly. Just last year, Amazon’s flagship program — Transparent — won a Golden Globe Award for the Best Television Series, besting programs like Girls and Silicon Valley in the process.

Yoni Heisler Contributing Writer

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large with over 15 years of experience. A life long expert Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW.

When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.