Amazon Appstore Open for Business in Europe, India, Australia

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As it aims to compete with Google’s Android Market, Amazon’s Appstore is apparently now available to the global market.

Amazon’s Appstore, which launched in March 2011 as a competitor to Google’s Android Market, was previously only available in the U.S. And although Amazon hasn’t officially announced it, media reports say the store is now also available in Europe, India and Australia.

“The Appstore has been confirmed for UK, Canada, South Africa, Venezuela, Finland, Ireland, Austria, Estonia, Romania, Poland, and more,” according to a Sept. 19 report from The Digital Reader.

The report provided several updates, first confirming the Appstore’s availability in Australia, then later reneging that account, and finally substantiating its initial call that the Appstore is indeed available in other countries.

Before this week, overseas users could not register for the Appstore under their localized account.

“Until now, users from countries outside of the US could use the Appstore, but they had to register with the U.S. version of Amazon; now, they can use their localized Amazon account,” Mashable reported, pointing out, however, that store hasn’t “opened its doors for everyone” – with some overseas users reporting that they still can’t access it.

In addition to offering thousands of Android apps, Amazon’s Appstore also includes a free daily download – today’s offer: Warheads, which normally sells for $0.99.

The Digital Reader also pointed out that while the Appstore only has 15,000 apps (compared to the Android Market’s nearly half a million apps), “there’s also something to be said about smaller is better. Take the NookColor App Store, for example, with its curated experience. It might only have a few hundred apps but they’re the good ones.”

In other Amazon news, TechZone360’s Ed Silverstein reported that Amazon may avoid collecting sales tax from its California customers for another year after a new bill was approved last week by the state legislature. However, the California bill still needs to be signed by Gov. Jerry Brown before it is enacted. If signed by Brown, with that extra time, Amazon may convince the federal government to come up with a national law on the state sales tax controversy.

Amazon was planning to take the issue to a statewide public referendum in June 2012. But with the new bill, the referendum will be dropped, according to media reports.



Erin Harrison is Executive Editor, Strategic Initiatives, for TMC, where she oversees the company's strategic editorial initiatives, including the launch of several new print and online initiatives. She plays an active role in the print publications and TechZone360, covering IP communications, information technology and other related topics. To read more of Erin's articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell
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Executive Editor, Strategic Initiatives

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