Amazon's
Android app listing was removed from Google Play search because of a
change in Google's Developer Distribution Agreement, says Amazon.
On
Wednesday, multiple reports claimed that the Amazon app has been
removed from Google Play search section, but its direct link was still
available.
The reason suggested by reports was that Google
banished the Amazon app from search because of its recent Amazon
Appstore for Android integration earlier this year in the US.
But at the time of writing on Thursday, we at NDTV Gadgets see that the
app has now come back in search, though we are not sure that if it was
taken away at all from Google Play India.
While Google didn't
comment on the reports, Amazon
responded
to Android Police, and pointed towards the change in Google's Developer
Distribution Agreement section 4.5, which caused the issue. It also
confirmed the main Amazon app has been replaced by the Amazon Shopping
app, which doesn't bear the Amazon Appstore for Android integration.
"We
launched a new Amazon app for Android phones on September 9 that
provides an award-winning mobile shopping experience, enables customers
to discover and purchase all of Amazon's digital catalog, and provides
customers access to the Prime Instant Video player and unlimited
streaming of over 40,000 movies and TV episodes. Google subsequently
changed their Developer Distribution Agreement on September 25. As a
result, we removed the app from Google Play and published the Amazon
Shopping app," Amazon responded to Android Police.
Amazon's
statement however doesn't explain why some publications were unable to
find the app via Google Play search. Notably, Google had changed the
section 4.5 in September, from "Non-compete," to "Alternative Stores".
Before the change:
4.5
Non-Compete. You may not use the Market to distribute or make available
any Product whose primary purpose is to facilitate the distribution of
software applications and games for use on Android devices outside of
the Market.
After:
4.5 Alternative Stores. You may not use
the Store to distribute or make available any Product which has a
purpose that facilitates the distribution of software applications and
games for use on Android devices outside of the Store.
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