Amazon Appstore for Android touts automated app marketing

Online retail giant Amazon.com continues to fine-tune its forthcoming Android application storefront, promising a series of automated marketing features extending its signature product recommendation engine to mobile software merchandising. According to Amazon, the Appstore for Amazon will make application suggestions based on each consumer's previous app purchase and browsing history, leveraging algorithms based on customer behaviors--relevant apps will show up in Amazon.com product searches, with the site also promoting app sales via mechanisms like "What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item," "More Items to Consider," "New for You" and "Related to Items You've Viewed." 

The Amazon Appstore for Android also will introduce a Bestsellers section to further improve consumer discovery. Amazon.com will separate Bestsellers by Free and Paid apps.

Amazon.com launched its Appstore Developer Portal early last month, officially confirming its long-rumored plans to roll out an Android application storefront later in 2011. The self-service Amazon Appstore Developer Portal tool enables software programmers to join the company's Appstore Developer Program and submit apps for sale via the Amazon Appstore for Android--the retailer will test all apps before introducing them in the store, guaranteeing a positive user experience and protecting consumers from malware and other potentially harmful situations.

The Amazon Appstore for Android will offer developers a 70 percent cut of all revenues--the retailer plans to charge a $99 annual fee to participate in the Appstore Developer Program, although admission will be free during the initiative's first year. Contrary to previous rumors, Amazon.com will not mandate DRM restrictions across apps sold via the storefront--developers can instead choose whether to implement rights management mechanisms or make their software available without constraints. Applications available in the Amazon Appstore for Android will operate on all smartphones and tablets running Android 1.6 and above.

For more:
- read this Amazon Appstore Developer Blog entry

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