Remember how Apple occasionally gave iOS games away on a weekly basis on iTunes? It looks like Amazon may be following a similar idea.
The e-commerce giant recently announced a new section of its Android app store called Unlocked that will offer Android users the opportunity to download a variety of paid apps for free, according to TechCrunch.
"Introducing Amazon Unlocked for Apps & Games," Amazon said in a promotional spot. "Paid apps and in-app purchasing now completely FREE from Amazon."
The new app store will feature a variety of games from large game companies like Sony America, as well as from indie developers like UsTwo, which made "Monument Valley." The shop will also reportedly offer access to more practical apps, such as OpenOffice 8 PDF Converter and Ultimate Guitar Tabs and Chords. Customers will have access to paid apps and some free in-app purchase content, such as Red Rings, the premium currency from Sega's endless runner "Sonic Dash."
This isn't the first time that Amazon has given apps away for free, as the practice is actually one the company has used consistently. However, such practices have been considered controversial in the past. App developers who let Amazon give their apps away for free reported that they did not make any money through the giveaway.
Unlocked is likely an attempt to bring Android users away from Google Play and to Amazon. However, this endeavor is significantly hindered by the fact that Amazon only has 400,000 apps available for download, while Google Play has over 1.2 million available in its store.
It's unclear when Amazon will launch Unlocked or when the store will be available to the public. The company has not released comment about the endeavor, and developers told Techcrunch that they're under NDA and cannot reveal details about their agreements with Amazon.
