So Amazon Is Launching Their Own Android App Store and Tablet?
by Antonio Wells
Sep 29, 2010 2:47 PM –
According to tips to TechCrunch and leaked term & conditions docs obtained by SlashGear, it seems Amazon is serious about creating their own Android App Store, plus rumored to launch an Android tablet. Yep, another Android Market, which if done correctly may have a chance of working… this is truly a two-edged sword . We recently saw Verizon will launch their own Android app store with V Cast Apps.
Based on this status of this debacle, where’s what we know so far about Amazon’s Android App Store:
- For each sale of an App, we will pay you a royalty equal to the greater of 70% of the purchase price or 20% of the List Price as of the purchase date (70/30 is standard, this 20/80 split is somewhat odd and confusing)
- The List Price is apparently in place so that you can’t sell your app cheaper on other “similar services” — meaning other app stores, presumably
- The “similar services” should also include the forthcoming Chrome Web Store, if I’m reading this correctly
- There is a $99 fee to be a developer in this program (the same as Apple’s iOS developer program)
- It seems like if your app is available on other platforms, you have to make sure to update it at the same time on Amazon’s store that you do in any other store (this will piss off a lot of developers)
- Apps will have to be laced with Amazon DRM — meaning they will only work on devices they approve (obviously)
- Amazon has the right to pull any app for any reason (obviously)
- Apps can also be shown on amazon.com (this is up to Amazon)
- You can offer free apps
- The app store is U.S.-only (at least for now)
- This part is interesting too: “We have sole discretion to determine all features and operations of this program and to set the retail price and other terms on which we sell Apps.”
What are your thoughts? Chime in below!