Amazon Appstore Reportedly Launching March 22

Internet retail behemoth Amazon is set to launch its third-party Android apps marketplace on March 22, a source has revealed to Wired.

The Amazon Appstore, revealed in September, will allow app developers to submit their apps into Amazon’s retail ecosystem, taking advantage of the patented technologies utilised by the retailer to advertise and suggest applications to consumers looking to buy (or already own) a smartphone or tablet device.

Earlier in the week, Amazon’s Appstore pricing strategy was leaked, discovered using the /apps suffix on the end of the Amazon domain. Looking at the apps already present on the market, Amazon had already secured exclusivity on at least four Android gaming titles, pricing 14 of the 48 apps lower than their listings on the Android Market.

Angry Birds creator Rovio has also presented further evidence to suggest the Amazon Appstore will launch next week, posting to Twitter that the Angry Birds Rio game, a title launching exclusively on Amazon’s marketplace, is just days away from launching:

Only a couple of more days to go before Angry Birds Rio hits appstores everywhere next week… are you going to…http://fb.me/StKHKGza

Amazon will serve apps using its own third-party application, suggesting applications via its website. It has been suggested that the retailer will allow customers to select apps that they wish to download on devices they buy via the website, loading them onto the device automatically when the device is powered on.

We will be watching with an eagle eye and will update you when the Amazon Appstore launches.