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why Amazon appstore may take over Android apps

ari-free

ari-free

Android Expert
Android Market has 2 major problems. Despite the increase in marketshare for Android, the market just doesn't translate to increased revenues for developers compared to other markets.
The other problem is that there's a lot of buggy junk. If it is too big of a problem, Google will take it off the market but this is a reactionary policy for intentional malware. It also lowers the reputation of the market and hurts quality apps by association.
The Android market just implemented a 15 minute return time. This is the worst of both worlds since users have only 15 minutes to check if an app is buggy or not and Google won't pre-test apps.

-Amazon says that they will test every app for its new appstore. They can use the permission system to see if something is up with the app before it is listed.
I do not know if Amazon has the capability to remotely take out apps that slip past their net.

-Unlike google, Amazon actually knows how to sell stuff. Nexus One was a flop but Kindle is very popular. And of course, Amazon sells all kinds of stuff besides books and mp3's. Google doesn't even advertise on TV. I guess they really believe that all you need are online ads.
Amazon has an associates program so people can make money by promoting Android apps.

-There are many tablets that won't have access to Android market because they don't meet Google's requirements (eg Notion Ink Adam, Archos, etc). It's an easy opportunity for Amazon.

-Amazon may have their own Android tablet because there's a limit to Kindle's growth. A tablet with an Amazon icon means they have a much bigger revenue stream with one stop shopping and can offer the tablet at a much lower price than the competition.

Hope to hear your thoughts!
 
Well the logical thing to do would allow people/developers access to both. Some people love amazon, others dont want to bother with it. BTW the nexus one wasn't so much a flop, as poorly marketed(after the holiday season no less)
 
Just reading that has made me scared for the future of the Android Market, should I feel this worried about it?
 
So does that mean the only apps on Amazon are paid apps? Or will they still offer free apps and add some of their own ads or....
 
Potentially the challenge with a Amazon Android Market is that Amazon will be looking to make a profit from this venture... and you can't profit from free apps.
 
MyNamesTooLong said:
Well the logical thing to do would allow people/developers access to both. Some people love amazon, others dont want to bother with it. BTW the nexus one wasn't so much a flop, as poorly marketed(after the holiday season no less)
Click to expand...

yes, google had something good with the Nexus one, android was taking off and they still couldn't sell it. I don't think they had any idea what it is like to sell something that actually costs money.
 
MassacrMan said:
Just reading that has made me scared for the future of the Android Market, should I feel this worried about it?
Click to expand...

Apps that are updated to pass Amazon's tests will probably make their way back to Android market so that will improve the quality of the market.
 
Martimus said:
Potentially the challenge with a Amazon Android Market is that Amazon will be looking to make a profit from this venture... and you can't profit from free apps.
Click to expand...

Ok. Then the Market lives. No way people will choose to pay for every app. Those people all own iPhones.
 
Martimus said:
Potentially the challenge with a Amazon Android Market is that Amazon will be looking to make a profit from this venture... and you can't profit from free apps.
Click to expand...

If people go to amazon for free apps (because they are bug tested, easier to find, etc), it will still benefit Amazon because there will be cross promotions. And google makes money from the ads, a win-win for both.
 
Google really should address the malware problem that has arisen lately. People's fears are a big factor in things (what keeps RIM going - security). While its time and resource intensive to test all the apps, they don't need to take it as far as Apple. They just need to ensure the integrity of the market - like at the supermarket they usually at least spot check the fruits and vegetables to make sure there isn't bugs in there.
 
allambition said:
Google really should address the malware problem that has arisen lately. People's fears are a big factor in things (what keeps RIM going - security). While its time and resource intensive to test all the apps, they don't need to take it as far as Apple. They just need to ensure the integrity of the market - like at the supermarket they usually at least spot check the fruits and vegetables to make sure there isn't bugs in there.
Click to expand...

Funny, I've gotten more bugs in my food from the grocery store than viruses from the market, how about you?
 
A few buggy apps in the market isn't going to bother me much. It would be wonderful if every app worked perfectly well, sure it would. But this is more or less the cost of freedom. Unfortunate as that is.

There's just too many devious people in tbe world.
 
Freedom also means the opportunity for an opportunity for another market to solve the problems with the Android market. Competition led to android phones with better hardware. It should lead to better markets as well.
 
ari-free said:
Apps that are updated to pass Amazon's tests will probably make their way back to Android market so that will improve the quality of the market.
Click to expand...
Google was extremely naive. They wanted Nexus One to break the current tied-to-carrier model of mobile phone distribution in the US, but they also wanted the cooperation of the carriers. Talk about trying to bite the hand that feeds you.

At first they sold it without contract for $500-some (which very few people would buy) and then sold it with contract on T-Mobile (which relatively few people use). They promised it would soon be available on Sprint and Verizon as well, but that never materialized. Instead Sprint got the Evo, and Verizon got a new version of the Droid.

So Google gave up and just started pointing to phones offered by the carriers. It also decided to sell the next Nexus through Best Buy in the hopes that people would buy a phone they'd actually get to test. Of course, Best Buy is terrible (I tried to test it out at my local Best Buy, and a customer had locked the phone, and the staff didn't know how to unlock it), and the Nexus S just isn't that cutting edge hardware-wise in the same was the Nexus One was when it was released. The only huge benefit to the Nexus S is knowing you'll get new versions of Android when they're released.
 
ari-free said:
If people go to amazon for free apps (because they are bug tested, easier to find, etc), it will still benefit Amazon because there will be cross promotions. And google makes money from the ads, a win-win for both.
Click to expand...

The challenge I see is that the majority of apps in the Google Android Market are free apps. If you reference the following article

Royal Pingdom The mobile app divide: Free rules on Android, paid rules on iPhone

it's believed that in excess of 65% of all apps in the Android Market currently are free.

Amazon will therefore need to make a major investment in software development, server farm space, and internet access in exchange for a relatively small revenue stream. To turn a profit they'll probably have to do an awful lot of cross promotions.
 
My understanding is that Amazon is going to have some very tough DRM for the apps they sell. Certainly not my cup of tea. I also have little trust for app stores outside of the Market.

I'm all for freedom and choice, but Android is risking turning into Linux itself. Android needs a little more structure. Google is good about removing troublesome apps which is really the most important thing they can do. Finding good apps is up to the consumer. Otherwise having so many versions of app stores creates chaos in my eyes, only confusing consumers.
 
I don't see a problem with Amazon competing with the Android Market. It gives Android users a choice in how they find and purchase apps. Isn't this what Android users like about Android?
 
Android market isn't going to die (or for that matter even be hit that hard by amazon). I say this because for one every google device has the market by default, I doubt the amazon market will come prepackaged. You also have to take into account the amount of newbie or non-tech users that use android but are barely able to figure out more than games, phone, SMS, and for business people, email. Also, developers are going to want to launch their apps on both markets to increase availability so the market will still have everything - I seriously doubt that amazon will pay devs to stay. The only real way amazon could work would be if they gave benefits for exclusivity for devs or gave devs a bigger cut.

On the notion of the nexus (btw any other starcraft players get nostalgia of protoss when they hear that word), I'd just say that it didn't dumbstruck anyone as a device that was immediately better than what was out there.

Also, saying that google can't sell things is kind of absurd, you don't get this big and powerful from being naive. They just simply overestimated what consumers would buy.
 
It's hard to know where to start on this thread.

First, you say that there is not an evolving revenue structure compared to other markets. The only other comparable market is the apple app store. Any other comparison becomes a non sequitur and does not apply.

Second, content control. For the normal user, side loading is an alien term, and users often barred from the practice unless they know the work arounds.

And lastly "-Unlike google, Amazon actually knows how to sell stuff. Nexus One was a flop but Kindle is very popular. And of course, Amazon sells all kinds of stuff besides books and mp3's. Google doesn't even advertise on TV. I guess they really believe that all you need are online ads.
Amazon has an associates program so people can make money by promoting Android apps."

Above is the most silly statement I've ever heard.
Quick poll: More recognizable name: Google or Amazon.
Google has done the best sell ever. They sold us a lifestyle. Not just books or things. It's not about selling us the Nexus, they have us hooked on Android!

Could go on and on, just found it ridiculous that people are arguing the merits of this post rather than getting to the truth of it.
 
InspireMe said:
Above is the most silly statement I've ever heard.
Quick poll: More recognizable name: Google or Amazon.
Google has done the best sell ever. They sold us a lifestyle. Not just books or things. It's not about selling us the Nexus, they have us hooked on Android!

Could go on and on, just found it ridiculous that people are arguing the merits of this post rather than getting to the truth of it.
Click to expand...

Google sold us what? Something that is free? The problem is that the Android market isn't making anyone that much money.
People are going to look for alternatives every time we see another article about malware on Android. Amazon is the best known alternative since most people use it all the time for other things.
 
operant said:
Also, saying that google can't sell things is kind of absurd, you don't get this big and powerful from being naive. They just simply overestimated what consumers would buy.
Click to expand...

They made their money by selling advertising, not things. Intel made its money by selling desktop cpu's but they have no idea how to sell mobile cpu's. It's just not what they understand.

Look, if the Market was successful then obviously I would conclude that google knows what it is doing and Amazon would have no chance. But I see the numbers and what google is doing is simply not working.
 
ikanos said:
While competition is always good, as a user I'd hate to have to check multiple market stores to find apps, and I can't imagine devs like the extra work of having to work with multiple app markets, especially if they all impose their own rules that require real engineering work.

I'd rather that the competition causes the official Android market to improve, and that one market has all the focus to make it really, really good.

This can become a bigger fragmentation issue than Android versions.
Click to expand...

In order for competition to cause the Android Marketplace to improve, there needs to be other sites that users can go to for purchasing apps. If more and more people start going to Amazon (or any other site) because it presents an easier experience to purchase apps or has better app offering, then the Android Marketplace must improve to attract those users back.

The Android Marketplace tries to be everything for everyone, but cannot do the best job possible for everyone. The reason is that different people have different needs. What I want to find and the way I want to find it may be different than someone else. If the Marketplace is designed to be geared towards me, then it may not present as good an experience to someone else.

Competition can also benefit developers. If they find that another site enables them to increase their revenue, I'm sure they will put in the additional effort to make their apps also be available via other channels. I don't think there is going to be a big issue with multiple channels selling apps. There exists multiple brick and mortar stores as well as multiple web sites selling a variety of products today. I don't think it would benefit customers if there were only one brick and mortar store selling everything or one site selling everything. People still go to multiple physical locations or web sites to find things to purchase now and this will continue in the future.
 
ikanos said:
While competition is always good, as a user I'd hate to have to check multiple market stores to find apps, and I can't imagine devs like the extra work of having to work with multiple app markets, especially if they all impose their own rules that require real engineering work.

I'd rather that the competition causes the official Android market to improve, and that one market has all the focus to make it really, really good.

This can become a bigger fragmentation issue than Android versions.
Click to expand...

People already have to go off the Market for many Gameloft games. I posted a thread about the citibank android app. It's on their website and not on the market. Why? Probably because Google allowed all these phony bank apps so if you go to citi's website, you'll know that you're getting the authentic version.
 
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