If you've been a loyal user of the Amazon Appstore on Android, brace yourself for some disappointing news. As reported by TechCrunch, Amazon has officially notified developers that the Appstore on Android will be discontinued as of August 20th this year. Given that the Amazon Appstore has been operational since its launch in 2011, surviving over a decade in the competitive app market is quite an achievement. Yet, this news might offer little solace to the numerous developers and their dedicated fans who have utilized the platform.
According to the support page dedicated to this issue, if you have Android apps installed from the Amazon Appstore, their future is uncertain. This likely implies that you should not count on receiving further updates or support for these apps. However, there's a silver lining: the Amazon Appstore will continue to operate on Amazon's proprietary devices, such as Fire TV and Fire Tablets.
It's somewhat ironic that Amazon is pulling out of the Android app market at a time when alternative app stores are gaining popularity. It's hard to fault Amazon entirely, as despite being in operation for over a decade, the Amazon Appstore never quite became a household name in the app store arena. The reasons for this are multifaceted, but one key factor is that Amazon did not introduce compelling incentives to attract users. For instance, the Epic Games Store has gained traction partly due to its attractive free games program.
This development serves as a reminder that even with the backing of a major corporation, longevity isn't guaranteed. However, there's no need to worry. If you're looking for exciting new mobile games to try, check out our list of the top five new mobile games to explore this week.
