Amazon Will Pay You $20 to Use Your Prime Unlimited Photo Storage
Amazon Prime members might not know that they get unlimited storage for photos through the platform and Amazon really wants to change that. It is desperate enough, in fact, that it will pay members $20 just to use Prime Photos.
Amazon Photos isn’t new but perhaps grew in importance for many photographers after Google did away with its unlimited free photo storage plan in 2021. Amazon Photos isn’t free either, but it is at least included for Prime members, of which there are a reported more than 200 million worldwide.
Even though it’s included with membership, Amazon doesn’t seem satisfied with how many of those 200 million members are actually using it. To entice more people to actually take advantage of the service, Amazon is offering a $20 credit to its online marketplace
To claim it, Prime members need to download the Amazon Photos app and turn on Auto-Save (which automatically backs up photos from a smartphone). That’s it: within four days they should receive an email with a $20 Amazon Credit.
It’s hard not to be at least a little skeptical regarding Amazon’s intentions here: there is no such thing as a free lunch. It is possible that Amazon is planning to use the data it gathers from photo uploads for something, and it certainly can based on the Amazon Photos terms of use document.
For example, below are a few relevant sentences:
“To enable these features and functionality, we use image recognition technology to analyze and apply tags to your photos and videos.”
“We retain image recognition data relating to the photos and videos you store using the Services until you disable the applicable Tagging Feature or your account’s access to the Services is terminated.”
“We may use, access, and retain Your Files in order to provide the Services to you, enforce the terms of the Agreement, and improve our services, and you give us all permissions we need to do so.”
Take from that what you will, but it is worth noting that Amazon does have an internal AI-powered image generator that probably could use refining.
Something else to bear in mind is that Amazon Photos doesn’t maintain a folder structure on backup, which may severely limit its utility for many photographers.
Whatever the case, the $20 Amazon credit offer is only valid through 11:59 PM on February 29, 2024.
Image credits: Amazon
