This is exactly what Android needs.

Many of the enduring criticisms of Android I've seen are pointed at the Market. No matter how much merit those criticisms may have--inadequate policing, malware, weak categorization, whatever--separate distribution channels are exactly what's missing from the mobile app ecosystem, forcing distributors to compete, learn from each other and improve.

I'm excited to finally see Android's strengths being taken advantage of. The fact that Amazon can do this and still have a thriving platform to target speaks to its strength. And hey, if it fails, someone else can try again and maybe do better.

You don't think that this is going to further fragmentation of the OS?

Separate distribution channels have nothing to do with OS fragmentation.

You're contradicting yourself.

Assuming you're defining "successful" as "making money", you're simultaneously claiming that the iOS App Store is too draconian for developers to succeed, and that it's more successful.

Furthermore, I haven't seen evidence that the two issues--stringency of policy towards developers and potential for financial success--are correlated.

One can make a lot of money of the app store, but there are more android devices in the world than there are IOS devices.

Apple has the most succesful store, but the android has the better platform - because developers aren't restricted.

I don't disagree. But that very lack of restriction on developers is what allows Amazon to set up their own separate app store and bypass the perceived deficiencies of the Market. That's why I think this is a positive sign. And if you don't like it, you're free to try to do better; I can't say that about iOS.

Another US only market I can't participate in. We are supposed to be mobile developers who can work anywhere in the world...

Apple have me because of this.

I would have loved to see them sell apps in other parts of the world as well. After a couple of years, there is still no Kindle store for anything else than English.

This app store fragmentation is going to be bad for both devs and consumers. In the near future, there is likely to be at least 3 separate marketplaces (Google, Amazon, Verizon), with certain apps only appearing in certain app stores on certain carrier networks.

Want the Skype app? Oh, that's only available in the Verizon store over the Verizon network.

Want some other specific app? Oh, that's only on the Amazon store, which Verizon may or may not allow you to install in the first place.

We, as creators of digital goods, should not be in favor of someone monopolising our distribution channel. Competition is good.

Now the cat's out of the bag I can share what I know. Most of this work is happening in Amazon's new Irvine, CA location (A2Z Development Center, Inc.). It started up about three months ago and I believe they're still looking for developers if anyone's interested (be prepared to work crazy hours!).

http://www.indeed.com/q-Amazon.com-l-Irvine,-CA-jobs.html

The rules are some of the most developer-unfriendly I've ever read, far surpassing Apple in pretty much every way possible.

This will fail miserably.

It's not as simple as that. Amazon offers developers at least two things even Apple can't: 1) a vast, vast pool of consumers (vast), and 2) a network of recommendations, referrals, and reviews, honed over years for the single purpose of finding the consumer something they will buy. There is a reason Walmart is still a must-have retailer, in spite of the demands they place on wholesalers.

1. The iTunes Store is pretty big by now.

2. Apple's Genius recommendations suggests that they are, at the very least, toying with this concept as well.

iTunes has like 180M+ users with credit cards and 1-click buying integrated into every iOS device, so I'm not seeing how Amazon can compete in any way with a store that'll only be accessible via something people have to install.

Plus, iTunes is international -- anyone can run a US-only store. http://slideme.org/ is more impressive, IMHO.

Amazon understands developers (see aws) and buyers (see amazon) much better than google. They have a good shot at this.

However, I know from personal experience that they treat their sellers (see seller central) terribly.

I've personally witnessed arbitrary changes in listing policies (a couple of years ago they started banning all low volume sellers from offering toys during the christmas season), horrible database issues (on two separate occasions a year apart over six hundred items have just disappeared from a single seller account with no warning or explanation), and really poor customer service.

I am curious to see if they will treat app vendors in the same way.

The way they've handled their kindle apps API developer program suggests otherwise.

Just because one part of Amazon seems developer friendly, doesn't mean they all are.

Those "rules" are all about treating developers like crap. Which is fine, but I won't be going near this thing with a 20ft pole.

Please, for the love of god: No. More. App. Stores.

While an app store is an effective distribution channel N app stores is not -- especially if they all have different regulations, processes, fees, and philosophies.

I'm still waiting on the carrier-billing charged app store.

Isn't that basically the idea behind the Verizon Android Store?

http://www.androidguys.com/2010/09/22/verizon-android-store/

Yes, that and I've heard hint from T-Mobile about an app store in the work. The best would be a unified app store where the carriers only do the billing instead of each carrier having their own store.