Amazon has announced that it will discontinue its app store on Android devices, effective August 20, 2025.
This decision was announced on February 20, marking the end of Amazon’s decade-long attempt to compete with Google’s Play Store on Android platforms.
Read also: AI domination? Amazon’s $100 billion investment says yes
Amazon appstore ending on Android in 2025
The discontinuation means that users will no longer have access to the Amazon App Store on their Android devices after August 20, 2025, and developers will no longer be able to submit new apps to the store.
Amazon clarified that the app store will continue to operate on its own devices, such as Amazon-Fire-TV-Family/b?ie=UTF8&node=8521791011" target="_blank">Fire TV and Amazon-Fire-Tablet-Family/b?ie=UTF8&node=6669703011" target="_blank">Fire Tablets, which serve as the primary marketplace.
Amazon’s decision to focus on its own devices is driven by the fact that most of its customers engage with the app store on these platforms.
As a company spokesperson noted, “We’ve decided to discontinue the Amazon Appstore on Android to focus our efforts on the Appstore experience on our own devices, as that’s where the overwhelming majority of our customers currently engage with it”.
Additionally, Amazon will discontinue its digital currency program, Amazon Coins, which was used to purchase apps and games.
As of February 20, 2025, Amazon Coins are no longer available for purchase, but users can still use their existing coins until the service ends. Any unused coins will be refunded after August 20, 2025.
Read also: Amazon expands to South Africa, opens walk-in centre in Cape Town
Appstore closure threatens purchased games, apps
The shutdown may affect users who have purchased apps and games through the Amazon App Store, as these may cease to function correctly once the store is closed.
Users are advised to download the apps they purchased to their devices before the shutdown to ensure continued access, although functionality is not guaranteed.
Developers must adjust their strategies, as they can no longer distribute new apps through the Amazon App Store on Android. This change reflects Amazon’s strategic shift towards focusing on its proprietary devices, where the app store remains integral to the user experience.
It is remarkable, very good piece