Amazon to shut down its Appstore for Android on August 20, 2025, after a decade of service

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As a dedicated gamer, I’ve got some disappointing news to share: After more than a decade of service, Amazon has officially declared that they’ll be closing down their Appstore for Android devices. They’ve confirmed that this change will take place on August 20, 2025. This move marks the conclusion of an alternative app marketplace that’s been competing with Google Play since 2011. It’s a bittersweet reminder of how much has changed in the gaming world since then.

Amazon focuses on its own ecosystem amid rising competition from alternative app stores

Starting from February 20, 2025, developers can no longer add new apps to the Amazon Appstore for Android, but they can continue updating their current apps until the store is closed. Along with the closure of the store, Amazon has also stopped using its virtual currency, Amazon Coins, immediately, and will refund any unused Coins to users after the shutdown date.

As a gamer, I’ve noticed changes in Amazon’s app landscape. Though they’re stepping back from their Android presence, they’re not entirely deserting their app world. The Appstore will keep humming on Fire TV and Fire Tablets, where the majority of us gamers hang out. A rep from Amazon clarified that they want to zero in on their own devices, as interaction beyond their ecosystem wasn’t all that high.

The Amazon Appstore held a distinctive role within mobile applications, providing free app promotions and functioning as the standard marketplace for Fire devices. Unfortunately, it wasn’t able to compete effectively with Google Play in terms of popularity. This latest development is connected to Amazon’s decision made last year to cease its Appstore on Windows, which will officially close down by March 2025.

It’s quite astonishing that Amazon made this decision, given that the marketplace has become more open due to the emergence of competitors like Epic Games Store and Aptoide, effectively challenging the dominance of Apple and Google in the mobile App Store scene. With these new players, the future appears promising, as competition continues to intensify.

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2025-02-21 09:41