Amazon Announces Kindle Development Kit

We’ve mentioned that application stores are all the rage nowadays, and it seems that even Amazon’s Kindle isn’t immune to the lure of application stores. Amazon has announced its Kindle Development Kit (KDK), which will allow software makers to build applications for Kindle. There will be 3 types of apps allowed: Free, one-time payment and monthly payment. The part that is slightly intriguing is that since users don’t have to pay a monthly fee for the wireless connection; developers are required to pay 15 cents per megabyte for content delivery. Of course, they’ll be able to keep 70% of the revenue after expenses, so it’ll be interesting to see how the math is done. Mobile gaming veteran EA has also signed on for this, though you have to wonder what kind of games you’ll be playing on the Kindle.

From next month onwards, participants in the limited beta will be able to download the KDK, access developer support, test content on Kindle, and of course, submit the finished item. Will the Kindle, with its domination of the eBook reader scene, dominate the eBook reader app scene too?

Press release.