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Amazon Appstore
Amazon.com-Logo.svg
Amazon App Store.png
Amazon Appstore for Android
Developer(s) Amazon.com, Inc.
Initial release March 22, 2011
Stable release 2.6.53 / 21 May 2012; 8 days ago (2012-05-21)[1]
Operating system Google Android
Type Software update, digital distribution
License Proprietary
Website www.amazon.com/appstore

The Amazon Appstore is a mobile application store for the Google Android operating system and was opened on March 22, 2011. Available in US only, it was launched with around 3,800 applications both free or paid. Developers are paid either 70% of the sale price or 20% of the developer's list price, whichever one is greater.[2]

On September 28, 2011, Amazon unveiled a new low-cost tablet, the Kindle Fire.[3] This tablet, which is designed for media consumption in the Amazon ecosystem, relies solely on the Amazon Appstore for its marketplace, eschewing Google's Market. Alongside the tablet was a new design for the Amazon Appstore designed to better integrate with the tablet's user interface.

The Amazon Appstore includes a "free app a day" feature.[4] Every day, an application, frequently a game, is offered for free. On the launch day, this game was Angry Birds Rio, in itself a promotional game.[5] The Free App of the Day feature makes an exception to Amazon's 20% of list price term, giving the developer 0% of the list price during the feature day.[6]

The store's "Test Drive" feature allows users to try an application in their web browser by launching a virtual copy of Android in the Amazon EC2 cloud for half an hour.[7]

The Amazon Appstore is currently only available in the US[8] and no official announcements have been made about increasing availability to other regions.

Reception

Shortly after the Amazon Appstore launch, the International Game Developers Association published an open letter expressing concerns that were primarily aimed at Amazon's distribution terms.[9][10][11] The main gripes about the conditions were that Appstore terms force developers to permanently lower their AppStore prices if ever they do promotions on other stores, and that Amazon could choose to lower the price of an application while deciding to reduce the developers share without having to ask permission.

Following this address, Amazon clarified the Appstore developer agreement,[12] but this failed to address IGDA concerns, which declared that "Amazon’s terms represent a threat to game developers".[13][14]

In July 2011, the Swedish developer Bithack pulled its Apparatus application from the Appstore and published an open letter explaining that the store was "a disaster" for indie developers.[15] The main gripes related to the very slow review process, the absence of any means to filter unsupported devices, and that Amazon changed the price of the application without consulting the developer,[16] leading to the IGDA reiterating its warnings concerning Amazon policy once again.[17]

Apple filed a legal claim against Amazon for using a similar name to the Apple App Store[citation needed].

See Also

References

  1. ^ "Amazon Appstore Updated to 2.6.53 – Brings New “Test Drive” Feature To Select Devices". Phandroid. 2012-05-21. http://phandroid.com/2012/05/21/amazon-appstore-updated-to-2-6-53-brings-new-test-drive-feature-to-select-devices/. Retrieved 29 May 2012. 
  2. ^ "Amazon Appstore | Android". SigitArinto.com. 2011-03-22. http://sigitarinto.com/2011/03/22/amazon-app-store/. Retrieved 2011-04-05. 
  3. ^ http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/amazon-kindle-fire-announced-jeff-bezos-beat-apple/story?id=14623497
  4. ^ "The Amazon Appstore's Free App List". http://www.electricbreadcrumbs.com/2011/04/amazon-appstores-free-app-list.html. 
  5. ^ "New Amazon Android App Store - 1 Free App / Day - Baltimore Sun". Articles.baltimoresun.com. 2011-03-22. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-03-22/advertise/bal-new-amazon-android-app-store-1-free-app--day-20110322_1_app-store-free-app-amazon. Retrieved 2011-04-05. 
  6. ^ "Amazon Appstore, Not so Amazing". GigaOM. 2011-07-05. http://gigaom.com/2011/07/05/amazon-appstore-not-so-amazing/. Retrieved 2011-07-06. 
  7. ^ Jason Kincaid (2011-03-22). "Amazon’s Android App Store Launches: Test Drive Apps Directly From Your Browser". Techcrunch.com. http://techcrunch.com/2011/03/22/amazon-android-app-store-3/. Retrieved 2011-04-05. 
  8. ^ http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200551840
  9. ^ "Important Advisory about Amazon’s Appstore Distribution Terms". International Game Developers Association. http://igdaboard.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/important-advisory-about-amazon%E2%80%99s-appstore-distribution-terms-2/. Retrieved 2011-05-14. "We are not aware of any other retailer having a formal policy of paying a supplier just 20% of the supplier’s minimum list price without the supplier’s permission.(...)If you ever conduct even a temporary price promotion in another market, you must permanently lower your list price in Amazon’s market" 
  10. ^ "IGDA warns Android game developers about Amazon's Appstore terms". guardian.co.uk. 2011-04-14. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/appsblog/2011/apr/14/amazon-android-appstore-igda. Retrieved 2011-05-14. 
  11. ^ "IGDA Outlines 'Significant Concerns' Over Amazon Appstore Terms". Gamasutra. 2011-04-14. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/34108/IGDA_Outlines_Significant_Concerns_Over_Amazon_Appstore_Terms.php. Retrieved 2011-05-14. 
  12. ^ "Clarification about Amazon Appstore Developer Agreement". Amazon.com, Inc.. 2011-04-15. http://www.amazonappstoredev.com/2011/04/clarification-about-amazon-appstore-developer-agreement.html. Retrieved 2011-05-14. 
  13. ^ "Amazon’s clarification fails to address game developer concerns". International Game Developers Association. 2011-04-19. http://igdaboard.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/amazon%E2%80%99s-clarification-fails-to-address-game-developer-concerns/. Retrieved 2011-05-14. 
  14. ^ "Tir de barrage contre Amazon". Canard PC. 2011-04-14. http://www.canardpc.com/news-52508-tir_de_barrage_contre_amazon.html. Retrieved 2011-05-14. 
  15. ^ "Apparatus will be pulled from Amazon Appstore". bithack.se. 2011-07-04. http://bithack.se/news/apparatus-amazon-july-4-2011.html. Retrieved 2011-07-15. "If you are a small indie development team, or possibly even alone, don't bother with Amazon Appstore. Create a great app, publish it on Android Market, and provide great customer support. You will never succeed on Amazon Appstore without a big wallet, or at least an established reputation so that Amazon puts value behind their promises." 
  16. ^ "Game developer pulls app from Amazon Appstore over problems". The Inquirer. 2011-07-05. http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2084090/game-developer-pulls-app-amazon-appstore. Retrieved 2011-07-15. "The final problem was that Amazon changed the price without consulting the developer. The price was cut to $0.99, only a quarter of its original price, which, while perhaps good for players, is not good for the developer." 
  17. ^ "IGDA still unhappy with Amazon Appstore policies". Joystiq. 2011-07-08. http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/08/igda-still-unhappy-with-amazon-appstore-policies/. Retrieved 2011-07-15. 
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  • Annual revenue increase US$48 billion (2011)
  • Employees 56,200 (2012)
  • Stock symbol NASDAQ: AMZN
  • Website Amazon.com
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