Amazon has an event scheduled later this week where it is finally expected to unveil its much rumored smartphone. The company already makes tablets and set-top boxes but it hasn’t ever launched a smartphone. Ahead of the expected launch the company is taking the time to tout growth witnessed by its Appstore in the past year. Amazon believes this growth is likely to entice more developers to get onboard.
According to Amazon the collection of apps and games available in its Appstore nearly tripled in the past year alone, now touting over 240,000 Android apps and games. While its present on the company’s own devices, which run highly forked versions of Android, other devices powered by Google’s mobile OS can also download apps through its Appstore.
However it will need considerable time to catch up to the likes of Google Play and Apple’s App Store, both of which house more than one million applications. Amazon expects the rapid increase in the size of its Appstore will attract more developers who seek to make more profit.
Its smartphone will likely run a forked version of Android but it will have access to the company’s own Appstore that contains nearly a quarter of a million apps and games. Its good from a PR point of view and highly essential to obtain developer support for its first smartphone, which may or may not be unveiled at the company’s event on June 18th.