It is finally here, the brand new online store for Android Applications, the Appstore. Developed by Amazon, the store is in the news, from when the online retail major
made the announcement. It is in direct competition to both the Google MarketPlace and Apple’s App Store. The turn of events in this segment is interesting and definitely worth watching.
Amazon as always offers a highly consumer-centric, core capability, minus the frills store that has more than a thousand apps on day one. Top that with a free commercial app every day for every app download that you make. Add another half hour of test drive on the App before deciding on its capabilities. The Amazon Appstore will soon be a one-stop store for all your Android application downloads considering that Amazon offers a very attractive revenue-sharing process with its developers.
How is the AppStore revenue shared with its developers?
The method that Amazon has adopted is very similar to what Google Marketplace offers but with a few different mechanisms. While Google expects a one- time fee of $25, Amazon is looking at annual subscription charges for developers at $99. However the revenues are shared at 70% of the purchase or 20% of the List price. Now, the list price is the developers’ own pricing bid and he cannot sell the same application from any other app store below this price. Additionally, the developer has to simultaneously update the app, if it is available on other platforms. Of course, if the developer chooses he can offer it for free. However, Amazon has the last word on the the features and operations as well as commercials on which the sales will be made.
Amazon is a unique player in this field as they are driving the mainstream content on Androids and almost all web media. They already have a presence in ebooks, with Kindle being incidental product. They are largely into content providing and are definitely not into fancy, innovative technology. What they are good at is identifying media content consumers will like and developing the gadgets in-house, minus frills but high on performance. See what Kindle does and what other eReaders do.
It is more than likely that round the corner will be a tablet from Amazon and the Appstore will deliver across all gadgets quality, price competitive content that will set the path for others to follow.
Available only in the US
Presently available only in the US, the AppStore offer 25 categories, from books, games, comics to info, entertainment and just about anything, utilities, web browsers etc. complete. As usual Amazon, thanks to its business acumen is focused on developing the AppStore to become the only name in online application stores for Android, for the present, but will map to every conceivable gadget in a matter of few development cycles.
Why it would appeal to most android users is that the standard amazon account, known for secure transaction, can be used for app purchases too, cutting down on start time to down load the best apps and also the free apps downloads being offered.
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