Amazon has pushed out an update to its iOS and Android applications that now enables subscribers to download TV shows and films to watch offline. Fire tablets also get the additional feature too.

Download the new version of the apps and a large amount of the content you would normally stream can now also be stored on an Android device, iPad, iPhone or iPod touch for when you don't have an internet connection. Fire tablets get the feature natively.

Pocket-lint has discovered that not everything is available for offline viewing - newly-added movie The Wolverine, for example - but most of what we checked out either has a download button underneath the "watch" tab or a download icon next to the play button for TV series.

Presumably, the content that is unavailable for watching offline is wrapped up in licensing issues. We also found all seven series of Sons of Anarchy to be unavailable to download, but all of Amazon's home made content can be watched offline, plus several up-to-date films we clicked on, including Paddington and The Imitation Game.

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Strangely, we found out about the offline feature in the text that accompanies an app update on iTunes, rather than Amazon itself. But we're not complaining. And Amazon has since contacted us to inform us about the Android app too.

It is the one feature that Netflix customers we've talked to want the most, but Amazon's major rival has always maintained that it is not necessary or on the immediate road map. Maybe it will be bumped further up the priority list now that Prime Instant Video customers will be reaping the benefits.