Amazon to roll out Appstore for Android in Europe this summer

Amazon never provided reasons why its AppStore for Android devices was limited to North American users following its March 2011 launch.

That's not a situation which has changed, despite the news developers can now submit games and apps for future distribution for Android devices in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

Amazon says that these regional stores will go live during the summer, with "plans for further global expansion in the near future."

It's a move that leaves remaining big uncertainty surrounding the company as to whether this launch will be linked to the availability of the Kindle Fire hardware outside the US.

With Amazon expected to roll out new devices and form factors in the budget Android tablet family in 2012, it's certainly a possibility.

However, with US demand for the original 7-inch device outstripping supply when it launched in October 2011, Amazon's typical caution suggests such a combined program would be a surprising development.

Still, given the problems they have retailing games and apps through Google Play, no doubt developers will be happy enough to have access to a better sales channel, whether or not the launch is backed with hardware.

In addition, Amazon has taken the opportunity to tweak its controversial terms and conditions. It's streamlined these so that all app sales and in-app purchases are now split 70:30.

Previously, it had a more complex model where developers received either 70 percent of their app's sale price or 20 percent of list price (whichever was greater); the problem being that Amazon could independently set the sale price without the developers' permission.

Developers can find out more at Amazon's Mobile App Distribution Portal.

[source: Amazon]