After a decently long run on the market, the Amazon Appstore on Android is being shut down. Just as it does everything else, Amazon abruptly announced that the Appstore was closing in 2025, on August 20, with no explanation on why it was making the move. As a result of the closure, the apps that have been previously downloaded from the Amazon Appstore will not be guaranteed to work on Android devices without support. 

The Amazon Appstore shutdown is exclusive to Android as it will continue to function on other platforms like Fire TV and Fire Tablets. The Appstore serves as the primary marketplace on these Amazon devices, so it makes sense that it will continue to stay up instead of switching to a different App Store partner, however, the reason for the selective discontinuation remains under wraps.

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Amazon Appstore’s Android Shutdown Leaves Everyone Confused

The news that the Amazon Appstore is closing in 2025 may come as a surprise to many who were never aware that Amazon had a store in the first place. The Appstore was launched all the way back in 2011, giving some users an alternative to the Google Play Store and allowing Amazon to create its own ecosystem of apps for its users. It was never clear who it was targetted at, as its usefulness was only ever evident on Amazon’s devices. 

Still, the app persisted until last year, when Amazon revealed that the Appstore was to be discontinued on Windows 11 as well. This was not a voluntary decision as Microsoft announced it was ending support for the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), which would cause the Amazon Appstore and its related applications to lose all support. 

At the time of the announcement, Amazon had confirmed that the Appstore would still be available on Android devices and that the company was “committed to enhancing the Amazon Appstore experience.” Now it appears that things have changed. 

Why Is the Amazon Appstore Closing?

Amazon has said nothing about its reasoning for closing the Appstore on Android devices but from our estimates there is likely very little reason for the business to keep investing in the platform. Android users tend to use the Google PlayStore for all their app needs considering it comes already built in. It’s easier to download apps from the website than to use an alternate app store for apps that are not available on the store.

From the number of netizens surprised to hear that Amazon even had an app store, it is apparent that it wasn’t a very popular service.

What Will Happen to Downloaded Apps Once the Amazon Appstore Is Discontinued?

After August 20, 2025, apps downloaded from the Amazon Appstore will still remain available after the Android shutdown, but there is no guarantee that they will operate without issue. After the store closes, these apps will no longer be able to receive any support updates through the Appstore, so they may cease to function immediately or over time. 

What Should You Do If You’re Affected by Amazon Appstore’s Android Shutdown?

If you have any Appstore subscriptions that are ongoing, it is best to cancel them or turn off the auto-renewal subscription from the app or website. Backup all your information from affected apps elsewhere to ensure you don’t lose out on locally stored data. 

Alternatively, it is a good idea to redownload apps from the Google Play Store or another third-party app store so you can receive software updates from the platform instead.

It is best to ensure you get your apps from official sources instead of sideloading them from other platforms so if you’re affected by the Amazon Appstore’s discontinuation, ensure you get your apps from a safe and reliable source.

If the Amazon Appstore Is Closing in 2025, What Will Happen to My Amazon Coins?

Now that the Amazon Appstore Android support is ending, any remaining Amazon Coins should be used up by August 20, 2025. As of February 20, these coins are no longer available for purchase so you cannot buy any more to supplement your spending and neither can you split your app purchase between Amazon Coins and another payment method. 

You can use up the coins you already own for smaller purchases, and if there are any remaining in your account after the Amazon Appstore’s Android shutdown, they will be refunded. Amazon has not elaborated on how it will be refunded or when, but it does say that it will share more details at a “later date,” so keep your eyes on this space to learn more.

Users Respond to the Amazon Appstore’s Android Shutdown

Amazon has been very quiet about why the Appstore is closing and what it means for developers who used the platform and the user base they built on it. The lack of details leaves them in the lurch, more so than it does the customers who will likely just move on to a different platform.

Some customers have reacted with surprise and annoyance at the news as they have no explanation for why Amazon decided to stop supporting the services it had built over the last decade. Others have remained indifferent as they’re unaffected by the exit of the app. 

Will the Closing of the Amazon Appstore Have a Big Impact on the Industry?

There has been considerable debate on the monopoly that Apple and Google enjoy on their iOS and Android app store services respectively, and how difficult they have made it for third-party app stores to thrive. Epic Games fought and won against the powerhouses, but it still believes that there are challenges these stores face in offering their services to interested developers and customers. 

Will the Amazon Appstore Android shutdown signal a big step backward in escaping from Google’s unrestricted dominance? It is unlikely to leave a very mark as most customers have tended to rely on the Google PlayStore to begin with. It is much easier to use the Google Store that is built into any Android phone or seek out a specific app from the developer’s website than go through the motions of downloading another app store. 

Amazon Appstore’s exit from Android devices is unlikely to have a major impact, but it will make a difference for some users, however small their numbers are.

Did you know Amazon had an Appstore or that it was shutting down on Android? Well, now you do. For more news updates like this, subscribe to Technowize to keep up with the world of technology.

tagged in Amazon appstore android shutdown, Amazon Appstore Android support ending, Amazon Appstore closing 2025, Amazon Appstore discontinued, Amazon Coins program shutdown, Why is Amazon Appstore closing
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