Amazon will discontinue its Appstore for Android devices on August 20, 2025, marking the end of an alternative app distribution platform that has struggled to compete with Google Play. The decision follows years of diminishing relevance outside of Amazon's own ecosystem, prompting the company to refocus on its proprietary devices such as Fire TV and Fire Tablets.
The company notified developers of the impending shutdown, stating that new app submissions will no longer be accepted, although updates to existing apps can continue until the closure date. Amazon also announced that it will discontinue its Amazon Coins program, the digital currency used for in-app purchases within the Appstore.
"Starting August 20, 2025, you will no longer have access to the Amazon Appstore on your Android device," Amazon confirmed in a support page update. The company added that any remaining Amazon Coins held by users will be refunded after the shutdown.
An Amazon spokesperson explained the rationale behind the move: "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."
The Amazon Appstore, launched in 2011 as a direct competitor to Google Play, never gained widespread adoption beyond Amazon's Fire-branded products. The Google Play Store remained the dominant app distribution platform, and while Amazon's offering was a pre-installed alternative on Fire devices, it failed to attract significant user engagement on non-Amazon hardware.
Amazon's attempt to create a broader app store ecosystem extended beyond Android. In 2021, the company partnered with Microsoft to bring Android apps to Windows PCs via the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA). However, Microsoft ended support for WSA last year, and Amazon announced it would discontinue Appstore support for Windows by March 5, 2025.
The closure of Amazon's Android Appstore follows security concerns that surfaced last year. In 2023, McAfee Labs identified malware within an application masquerading as a health tool on the Amazon Appstore. While security was not cited as a reason for the shutdown, the incident highlighted the platform's challenges in maintaining a robust ecosystem.
The Appstore also played a key role in Amazon's failed Fire Phone project, which aimed to integrate a proprietary app ecosystem into Amazon's smartphone venture. The Fire Phone, which launched in 2014, was discontinued after just one year due to poor sales and limited app support.
Although the Amazon Appstore is shutting down on Android, it will remain operational on Fire-branded devices, where Amazon maintains control over hardware and software integration. The decision to retain support within its ecosystem suggests Amazon is prioritizing a more contained and managed user experience rather than attempting to compete with Google Play or Apple's App Store.
