Amazon may possibly be changing the way they distribute some paid content in Appstore with upcoming 'Unlocked' program.
According to slides obtained by TechCrunch Amazon is working on a new way to entice more downloads through the Amazon Appstore. The new program, called 'Unlocked', will apparently allow users to download paid apps and in-app purchases free of charge for various large name apps and games. Among the developers shown participating in the program are Sega America, who has Sonic Dash in various screens of the advertisment as well as UsTwo developer Monument Valley.
Details about the program are limited at this point, but from the information shown it will work in a simple fashion. Amazon is said to have an 'Unlocked' section showcasing the apps that are free or contain free content in them, and will recommend other content based on downloads. Amazon is no stranger to giving away apps; they have given one app away each day since the launch in 2011, but this move is much larger scale.
Developers will have the option to take part in the program or not, and once a developer leaves the in-app content becomes paid again. With over 400,000 apps in the Appstore Amazon is looking to draw business from the competitors, and gain some traction.
Source: TechCrunch
Reader comments
Amazon rumored to give away paid apps for free with new 'Unlocked' program
" they have given one app away since the launch in 2011, but this move is much larger scale."
Two apps? Ooooh!
Hey, they almost went bankrupt over that one app they gave away so this is a huge deal.
Posted from my Droid Turbo, Kelly and Ozone
That should read: "they have given one app away EACH DAY since 2011..." It's part of their Amazon App Store enticement. I've gotten a lot of great apps, but they are notoriously slow to get updates and new releases.
People keep saying that.. but you can't blame Amazon for slow updates on a few of their apps... they aren't the developers... just the distributors..
Amazon is very slow to release updates due to a very slow approval process.
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That's funny... I just did a search on Google on how long is Amazon's App Approval process and most developers wrote it took around 2-4 days after submission. So that shoots down your theory and validates what I originally said.
If this is the case I'd love to know why accuweather is a good 2-3 versions behind constantly
You didn't pay attention to my first post. Re-read that. I think your biggest problem is ASSUMING that app developers submit updates to their apps to every app store at the same time... Your second problem is assuming every single platform needs an update. If you use logic you can see that on Google's Play Store updates could be required more often since there are dozens of different devices from many different manufacturers... and the apps must play nice to at least some of the bigger names. On Amazon's App store, most developers are primarily concerned with Kindle compatibility (and not so much with non-kindles).. and the developers probably assume that most people would prefer to get the same app from Google instead of Amazon... so updating the apps on Amazon isn't as high a priority.. that's why some developers are lazy and don't submit the updates to Amazon as often as they do with Google.
In 2010 when Amazon was better than the Android Market, my angry birds would be updated from Amazon before the market, and it was the ad-free paid versions. around 2012 Google and Play over took Amazon in apps and all the sudden all my Play store apps were first to be updated. Now Amazon apps are updated about 3 weeks to a month after the same ones in the Play store get it.
The Amazon App Store was opened on March 22, 2011... and it makes sense that apps were updated more frequently back then... the marketplace was new and developers were getting a feel for the place... over time they felt less urgency to update as quickly as Google's version.
two per day. they are always paid apps, and they are different every day.I have a HUGE list of some really great apps I never paid for, like root explorer, easy tether, pdaNET, and a ton of games, as well.
I wonder if our modern day App stores (Apple, Android, even Windows) will move towards paying a subscription every month to download any app possible. Like Google Play all access, but for apps. That would be something I'd be interested in...
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I would detest that
Ack that sounds horrible.
Don't give them any idea.
Posted via the Android Central App using Chickens
Initially that's what I thought this was going to be. It would be like what they're doing with kindle unlimited books.
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Something like that could never work. Every single app would have to be sold for the same exact price... and if you try to pay out evenly to all developers.. Would it be fair for a developer who created, for example, a 3D Shooter or productivity app... to receive the same exact payout as someone who submitted a "fart app"?
We would get lower quality apps because people would not get paid for all their hard time consuming work
True... and you would probably even see a dramatic increase in annoying ads.
What if they do somethong like Audible? You pay a monthly fee and get a credit for a game (or a specified amount of credit) and you also get a discount on all apps (and possibly IAPs) as long as you account is active throughout the month?
I think that would be worth my subscription. ..
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I got Monument Valley for free from Amazon App Store. I love it!
Amazon could increase sales by not having so many games and apps be the Kindle Edition only. I would spend my amazon coins plus real money on plenty of games knowing the coins are basically a discount but most games i want are Kindle Edition only on Amazon but available for my device on Google Play. Plus, as other have mentioned, Amazon is way to slow with updates.
This +1000. The walking dead, and Kingdom rush origins are two annoying examples.
Also I don't believe any of the final fantasies have been updated in amazon to work with ART.
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You mean the developers who use Amazon's App Store are slow to update their apps.
More FREE apps for people to complain about!
-- RCA Voyager
Just allow the play store on the Kindle that way Amazon becomes de facto successor to the Nexus.
Think Bezos.
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