Amazon Instant Video surpasses Apple and Hulu in streaming video usage

Amazon Instant Video has managed to outperform Apple and Hulu in streaming video usage, jumping to the third spot.

Amazon's video streaming service was previously on the fifth spot, behind Apple and Hulu, but now it has jumped on third trailing only Netflix and YouTube. Video streams on Prime Instant Video have nearly tripled year over year, according to the company. The service offers an extensive list of exclusive and original content available only to Prime members for instant streaming, without any additional costs to their Prime membership.

The information is based on a report from Qwilt, which tracks growth in online video usage.

"We've invested hundreds of millions of dollars in great TV shows and movies for Prime members and it's working," touted Bill Carr, Amazon's VP of Digital Video and Music. "As part of their membership, Amazon Prime members can watch their favorite movies and television shows on an unlimited basis, and as we add original content like Alpha House, Bosch, Mozart in the Jungle and Transparent, we have no doubt that customers will be even more delighted with the selection available. And now, with Fire TV, customers have the easiest way to access this content."

This is great news for Amazon, as its video streaming service is gaining increasingly more relevance. Moreover, the company recently launched its new video streaming set top box, the Amazon Fire TV, which will likely help even further in boosting the number of Amazon Instant Video users.

The new Amazon Fire TV set top box will compete with the likes of Roku, Apple TV, and even Google's Chromecast streaming dongle, and it's already off to a great start. It has better specifications compared to its competitors and comes at the same price as Roku and Apple TV, retailing for just $99. The gadget also comes with an optional game controller for those who would like to play games as well, but the controller is sold separately. The Amazon Fire TV is currently available for purchase only in the U.S. and comes as a tiny box that plugs directly into your HDTV, offering easy and instant access to Prime Instant Video, Netflix, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, SHOWTIME, low-cost video rentals, and many others.