Amazon’s Japanese Appstore is the latest in a series of additions
that make Amazon the most complete end-to-end platform for developers
looking to build, market and monetize their apps and games
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 28, 2012--
(NASDAQ:AMZN) – Amazon.com, Inc. today announced the launch of the
Amazon Appstore in Japan, giving Japanese customers access to a broad
selection of quality Android apps, plus the security and convenience of
shopping for these apps from Amazon. Customers can get the Amazon
Appstore for their Android phones and tablets by visiting http://www.amazon.co.jp/apps.
Amazon’s Appstore offers a great selection of games and apps, including
local favorites like “Mushroom Garden” and “Yahoo! Headline,” and
established bestsellers like “Fruit Ninja” and “Cut the Rope,” along
with apps from top-tier brands like Square Enix and NTT Docomo. In
addition to localized content and a localized mobile store, customers
will have access to popular Amazon Appstore features like the Free App
of the Day, which offers a paid app for free every day. Apps and games
purchased from Amazon can be used across customers’ Android devices as
well as Kindle Fire tablets, enabling them to buy an app or game once
and enjoy it everywhere. Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD for Japan are
available for pre-order now at Amazon.co.jp.
The Amazon Appstore also includes popular Amazon features like
personalized recommendations, Customer Reviews and 1-Click payments,
making it easy for Amazon customers to shop, discover and buy the right
apps to meet their needs. In order to ensure that customers have the
best possible experience with the apps they purchase, apps are
Amazon-tested and backed by Amazon’s world-class customer support.
“The Amazon Appstore connects app and game developers across the globe
with Amazon’s enormous customer base, and we’re excited to expand that
audience to our millions of customers in Japan,” said Jim Adkins, Vice
President of the Amazon Appstore. “Now our customers in Japan can find
all of the apps and games they’re looking for and can take advantage of
popular programs like Free App of the Day.”
Amazon continues to roll out services and features that make it the most
complete end-to-end solution for developers wanting to build, market and
monetize their apps and games. Developers can build their apps and games
using Amazon Web Service’s industry-leading infrastructure platform.
Developers can use Amazon’s GameCircle services to improve audience
engagement with features like Leaderboards, Achievements, Friends and
Whispersync which syncs game state between Kindle devices. To gain
exposure to tens of millions of customers, developers can list their
apps in the Amazon Appstore and take advantage of unique merchandising
placement and awareness-building programs like Free App of the Day and
personalized recommendations. And, to monetize their apps and games,
developers can use Amazon’s industry-leading e-commerce and payment
capabilities like In-App Purchasing and Subscriptions.
“When we found out that the world’s largest online retailer was creating
an appstore, we made sure to get our top app, ‘Drawing Pad,’ submitted
for the launch,” said Darren Murtha of Murtha Design Inc. “Amazon does a
wonderful job featuring apps, and during a recent promotion, ‘Drawing
Pad’ climbed to #11 in the top app rankings. We are thrilled with our
success in reaching new customers and driving recurring usage of our
apps. ‘Drawing Pad’ is localized for over twenty languages – including
Japanese – and we are really looking forward to Amazon’s expansion into
new countries.”
“TuneIn has a vision of bringing all the world’s audio to people
everywhere, and our mobile apps are an integral aspect of bringing that
vision to life,” said Ryan Polivka, Director of Marketing, TuneIn.
“Amazon makes it easy for consumers to discover new content on their
Kindle Fire HD or Android device through personalized recommendations,
customer reviews and their Free App of the Day program. We are excited
to introduce millions of music, sports and news listening options to
Amazon’s Japanese customers, and happy to announce that we will be
offering our ‘TuneIn Radio Pro’ app for free in Japan next month.”
“Amazon provides a wealth of tools and services that have helped us grow
our business,” said Adam Schroeder, CEO, Difference Games LLC. “The Free
App of the Day promotion has been a great way for us to expose our
unique content to a wide audience of engaged digital media-savvy
consumers. We are excited to grow with Amazon as they expand into Japan
and other geographies.”
“Amazon’s mobile app distribution has been a great way for SoundHound to
expand our broad international reach,” said Amir Arbabi, Vice President
Business Development of SoundHound, Inc. “Amazon’s customers are
passionate about digital media and Amazon provides a variety of ways to
ensure they discover the apps that are right for them. We look forward
to bringing the world’s fastest, most accurate and delightful music
discovery service to their Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and
Android customers in Japan.”
“SEGA Networks aims to offer an emotional experience to gamers through
our smartphone and tablet games. With the introduction of the Kindle
Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Amazon Appstore to Japan, we are looking
forward to sharing these emotional experiences through our apps to as
many people as possible,” said SEGA Networks Representative CEO Haruki
Satomi.
“Adaptations of our popular toy properties into smartphone and tablet
apps offers our customers a whole new way to play. That’s why we are
thrilled to be teaming up with Amazon. It creates an exciting
opportunity to expand our reach to potential new customers,” said
Kantaro Tomiyama, President and CEO of TOMY Company, Ltd.
“I am delighted with the strong relationship that we’ve cultivated with
Amazon, in both Mobile App Distribution and AWS. Amazon boasts some of
the highest customer lifetime values we’ve seen on any platform, and a
suite of end-to-end developer solutions that impact bottom line results.
The flexible and cost-effective AWS Infrastructure platform allows us to
scale up and down as needed while only paying for the resources used. In
addition, their recommendation features in the Amazon Appstore really
benefit customer experience and discovery,” said Suli Ali, CEO of
TinyCo, maker of Tiny Monsters, and Tiny Village. “We think the services
offered through the Amazon platform have contributed to much of the
success, so we are very excited to expand our offerings to Amazon’s
customers in Japan.”
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle,
opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s
Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most
customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything
they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the
lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of
unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books;
Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home
& Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health &
Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web
Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to
in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end
technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any
type of business. Kindle Paperwhite is the most-advanced e-reader ever
constructed with 62% more pixels and 25% increased contrast, a patented
built-in front light for reading in all lighting conditions, extra-long
battery life, and a thin and light design. The new latest generation
Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle, now features new, improved
fonts and faster page turns. Kindle Fire HD features a stunning custom
high-definition display, exclusive Dolby audio with dual stereo
speakers, high-end, laptop-grade Wi-Fi with dual-band support and
dual-antennas/MIMO for 40% faster throughput than other tablets, enough
storage for HD content, and the latest generation processor and graphics
engine—and it is available in two display sizes—7” and 8.9”. The
large-screen Kindle Fire HD is also available with 4G wireless, and
comes with a groundbreaking $49.99 introductory 4G LTE data package. The
all-new Kindle Fire features a 20% faster processor, 40% faster
performance, twice the memory, and longer battery life.
Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com,
www.amazon.co.uk,
www.amazon.de,
www.amazon.co.jp,
www.amazon.fr,
www.amazon.ca,
www.amazon.cn,
www.amazon.it,
and www.amazon.es.
As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include
Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates
otherwise.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly
from management’s expectations. These forward-looking statements involve
risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to
competition, management of growth, new products, services and
technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international
expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center
optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and
strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption,
inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More
information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com’s
financial results is included in Amazon.com’s filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual
Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.
Source: Amazon.com, Inc.
Amazon.com, Inc.
Media Hotline, 206-266-7180
www.amazon.com/pr
