Amazon expands Android Appstore to include HTML5 web apps

In a move to reach out to more developers, Amazon has added HTML5 application and mobile website support to the Amazon Appstore, the company said today.

Amazon’s Mobile App Distribution Program will now be set up so HTML5 apps can be distributed on Kindle Fire and other Android-based devices. Ideally, this means web apps will be treated similarly to native apps, and the move opens up a new opportunity for web app developers looking for more exposure.

This move further separates the Amazon Appstore from Apple’s iTunes App Store and Google Play, both of which only offer native applications.

“We’ve heard from developers that making their web apps available for mobile devices is hard because many times it means rewriting their app, which takes extra time and often requires third party tools,” Amazon Appstore VP Mike George said in a statement. “By launching support for HTML5 web apps in the Mobile App Distribution Program, we’re giving web developers the tools they need and all the benefits that native apps already enjoy in the Amazon Appstore and on Kindle Fire. This opens up new possibilities — starting with faster discovery, access to tools for increased monetization, and the ability to reach new customers for greater exposure.”

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