If you're a fan of the Amazon Appstore for Android, I've got some unfortunate news for you. As reported by TechCrunch, Amazon has sent out a notice to developers announcing that the store will be shuttered on Android devices as of August 20th this year. This marks the end of a journey that began back in 2011, making it quite an impressive run for over a decade. However, for the myriad of developers currently publishing on the store and their fans, this news might be of little consolation.
According to the support page on this topic, if you have Android apps installed from the Amazon Appstore, their future is not guaranteed. This likely means you can't rely on further updates or support for these apps. On a brighter note, the Amazon Appstore will continue to be available on the company's proprietary devices, such as the Fire TV and Fire Tablet.
It's somewhat ironic that Amazon is pulling the plug on its Android app store at a time when alternative app stores seem to be gaining traction. While I don't necessarily blame Amazon for this decision, it's clear they haven't become a household name in the app store market. The reasons for this are diverse, but a significant factor is that Amazon hasn't offered compelling incentives to attract users. For instance, the Epic Games Store, which recently launched, has successfully drawn users with its free games program.
This development serves as a reminder that even with the backing of a major company, longevity isn't guaranteed. However, there's no need to worry. If you're looking for great new releases, why not explore some of the top five new mobile games we've listed for you to try this week?
