Prime Video launches new Dialog accessibility feature

While Dialog Boost was created with the needs of customers who are hard of hearing in mind, anyone can use the feature to suit their personal listening preferences, the company said.

“At Prime Video, we are committed to creating an inclusive, equitable and enjoyable streaming experience for all of our customers,” Raf Soltanovich, vice president of technology at Prime Video and Amazon Studios, said in a statement. Audio narrated content continues to grow, and by leveraging our technological capabilities to create industry-first innovations like Dialog Boost, we are taking another step towards creating an even more accessible streaming experience,” said Soltanovich.

Dialogue Boost analyzes the original audio in a movie or series and identifies points where dialogue may be difficult to hear over background music and effects. Then, the speech patterns are stripped out and the audio amplified to clarify the dialogue. This AI-based approach provides targeted enhancement to parts of spoken dialogue instead of general amplification on the center channel in home theater systems. The company said that Dialogue Boost can be enjoyed anywhere the Prime Video experience is available.

Dialog Boost is available on all devices that support the Prime Video experience and provides a capability that was previously only available to customers with high-end theater systems, specialized audio equipment, or select Smart TVs.

Customers can now use Dialogue Boost on select Amazon Originals including Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Harlem, as well as movies including The Big Sick, Beautiful Boy, and Being the Ricardos. This feature will become available on additional titles this year.