By
Amazon has announced that it is expanding its Android Appstore to the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain this summer, with additional locations to follow. The launch of the Appstore outside of North America for the first time also virtually guarantees that Amazon will begin selling its Kindle Fire globally as well.
Amazon launched the Appstore last year as a curated alternative to Google’s marketplace and now sports tens of thousands of titles. The company says that features like 1-Click purchasing (through a pre-existing Amazon account) and Test Drive, which enables users to test apps before buying them, have helped developers make good revenue from apps submitted to the store.
The move increases the likelihood that Amazon will begin selling its Kindle Fire tablet in Europe. A new version is due to be announced in Q3, replacing the original model that was launched in September 2011.
Developers can visit the distribution portal for more information on localising apps with localised resource files for different regions, as well as other tips on how to prepare their apps for international distribution. Developers who are new to the program can sign up at the Amazon Mobile App Distribution Portal.
