Everything Flows: Amazon spent over a decade pursuing a foothold in the app store business. Now, the company has announced that it is shuttering its Android app store, with no guarantees that previously purchased apps will continue working. However, users can migrate their owned apps to Amazon devices such as the Kindle.
Amazon is warning users about the impending shutdown of its official “Appstore” for Android devices. Customers will lose access to the Amazon Appstore on their Android smartphones or tablets on August 20, 2025. Unsurprisingly, the company is also discontinuing its Amazon Coins program.
Amazon Appstore debuted in 2011 as a potential alternative for downloading and distributing Android apps without going through Google Play. Two years later, Amazon Coins introduced a new payment and microtransaction method for purchasing apps and making in-app purchases.
A new FAQ regarding the discontinuance notes that any apps downloaded from the Amazon Appstore could stop working after August 20. The store closure does not involve Fire TV, Fire Tablet, and other Amazon devices. It only affects Android users. To minimize frustration, Amazon provides an APK package for manually reinstalling the store on its devices.
The company has already ceased selling Amazon Coins as of yesterday, February 20. Customers with active coin balances are encouraged to use them by August 20. Amazon says it will refund unused coin balances after the deadline. The company also advised and provided instructions for turning off subscription auto-renewals to avoid the inconvenience of requesting refunds.
Amazon hasn’t explained the sudden demise of its Android app store. However, the service never gained much traction among Android users despite Amazon offering exclusive games, a “free app of the week,” and other enticing promotions. Amazon Appstore came preinstalled on a few brands of Android phones but still struggled to attract much attention.
Amazon Appstore was also available on Windows, but Microsoft announced that it is discontinuing support for third-party Android apps and stores on Windows 11. Amazon’s announcement of the store’s closure is unlikely a coincidence. Official Android app support on Windows 11 made even less sense than on mobile. Windows users have several alternative ways to get the same apps or Win32 programs. So, Amazon Appstore won’t likely be missed.
