Amazon to ban sale of rival video streaming devices

Amazon will stop allowing its third-party sellers to sell Google and Apple video-streaming devices as it focuses on its own Prime Instant Video streaming service.

The company said in a statement that Prime Video has become an important part of its $99 annual Prime loyalty membership program and said that the video-streaming devices sold on the site should be able to work with Prime Video.

Sellers will still sell video-streaming devices compatible with Prime Video including Roku, Xbox, PlayStation and Amazon’s own Fire TV devices. But Apple TV and Google’s Chromecast will be banned.

Seattle-based Amazon has been rapidly expanding its Prime Video Service, including recently inked deals to stream NBCUniversal’s critically acclaimed drama “Mr. Robot” and a multiyear licensing agreement with CBS.

Amazon.com Inc. shares rose $6.20 to $518.09 in afternoon trading Thursday.