Amazon announces European Appstore, coming this summer

[Corey]

Amazon on Wednesday announced that it has begun to accept app submissions from developers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain for distribution in its Appstore for Android later this year. Amazon’s Appstore in the U.S. is home to “tens of thousands of apps and games” and has seen great success in just one year. “We are thrilled at the success our developers have experienced on the Amazon platform in the last year,” said Jim Adkins, Vice President of the Amazon Appstore. “Some developers have seen revenue double since the launch of In-App Purchasing. We’re excited to open the door to even more opportunity by expanding app sales outside the U.S. We see tremendous potential for current developers in our distribution program to grow with the international expansion. We also encourage new developers to join and participate in the platform’s growth.” The Appstore is expected to launch in select European countries later this summer. Amazon’s press release follows below.

Amazon Opens Portal for International Mobile App Distribution

Developers around the world are invited to start submitting apps today for international distribution later this year, beginning with the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain

Change in developer agreement simplifies revenue share model and increases flexibility for developers

SEATTLE, Jun 20, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) – Amazon.com, Inc. today announced that developers can now submit apps for distribution this summer in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, with plans for further global expansion in the near future. Developers can get started by visiting the Amazon Mobile App Distribution Portal.

The Amazon Appstore in the U.S. has grown to tens of thousands of apps and games in just one year. As a result of features like 1-Click purchasing and Test Drive (which allows customers to try apps before purchasing them), developers report strong monetization from the apps they offer through Amazon. Amazon recently introduced an In-App Purchasing service that is simple for developers to integrate and helps monetize their apps and games even better than before, while still offering customers a seamless and secure 1-Click purchasing experience. Many developers have seen revenue skyrocket as a result of Amazon In-App Purchasing and are excited to offer their apps to even more customers outside the United States.

“We’ve seen that Amazon gamers are hungry for great content and are willing to open up their digital wallets to pay for it,” said Niccolo de Masi, CEO and President of Glu Mobile. “Our latest title launched on Amazon, Frontline Commando, has seen both revenue per daily active user and lifetime value metrics exceed averages as compared to other devices and platforms. Taking a successful platform like Amazon’s and expanding it across the globe is going to give us an even broader customer base and create an opportunity to generate even more revenue–something we are very excited about.”

“We are delighted with the strong relationship that we’ve cultivated with the U.S. Amazon Appstore since its launch, and Kindle Fire has been hugely successful for our titles,” said Peter Vesterbacka, CMO and Mighty Eagle of Rovio. “As a strong global brand with an international fan base, we are very excited to expand our offerings to Amazon’s customers worldwide.”

“With fan-favorite games like Plants vs. Zombies and SCRABBLE topping the charts, the U.S. Amazon Appstore has been a fantastic avenue for EA to reach an entirely new segment of consumers,” said Bernard Kim, Senior Vice President of Global Social & Mobile Publishing for EA. “Amazon’s international expansion marks an exciting opportunity to bring our interactive entertainment experiences to even more consumers around the world.”

“Amazon is a key distributor for us, delivering users who prove to be loyal and prolific in their usage,” said Evan Conway, OneLouder Apps President. “International adoption is critical to our business and we are excited to broaden our reach through Amazon’s new global channel providing great mobile experiences for customers around the world.”

“Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner is the #1 cooking app for the U.S. Amazon Appstore and Kindle Fire, and our community engages with our apps 45 percent more on Kindle Fire devices than any other device, so we know they love and trust the Amazon app platform,” said Lisa Sharples, President of Allrecipes.com. “Allrecipes is a trusted global brand with successful international apps and we are very excited to have Amazon help us connect with new international home cooks.”

“We are thrilled at the success our developers have experienced on the Amazon platform in the last year,” said Jim Adkins, Vice President of the Amazon Appstore. “Some developers have seen revenue double since the launch of In-App Purchasing. We’re excited to open the door to even more opportunity by expanding app sales outside the U.S. We see tremendous potential for current developers in our distribution program to grow with the international expansion. We also encourage new developers to join and participate in the platform’s growth.”

Developers should visit the distribution portal to learn about localizing apps with localized resource files for different regions, as well as other tips on how to prepare their apps for international distribution. Developers have the ability to select the countries where they would like to sell their apps. They can also set their list prices by marketplace. Those already participating in the program will automatically have their apps made available for sale internationally by default. And developers can easily change international availability for their apps via the distribution portal if they don’t wish to sell in select countries. Developers who are new to the program can sign up at the Amazon Mobile App Distribution Portal.

 

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