I have been reviewing Kindle apps for almost a year now and have noticed quite a trend since last November when the Kindle Fire was released. It used to be that there were constantly new apps and games being made available for the Kindle e-readers.
As part of the development team working with the Kindle Store, we were often frustrated because they had a backlog of submitted apps and you had to wait your turn in the queue. The Hot New Releases section was usually two pages and sometimes three pages in length. When new Kindle models came out, developers scrambled to try and get their apps working on the new devices.
Then came the new big step-brother named Kindle Fire. You were assured that you would still be loved, but it became obvious fairly quickly that this new interloper was going to be the favorite. Yes, your family did adopt two new family members, but they turned out to be more like annoying pets instead of the expected children and poor Kindle Touch got left out in the cold for a while.
Now it appears that almost all new apps are coming out with versions for Kindle Touch. This should make the Touch owners happy. However, when looking for new releases, it has become obvious that the focus of apps has shifted to Kindle Fire.
Remember back in January – only a few measly releases the first several weeks and most of them were interactive fiction? The last few months, the Hot New Releases section barely ever breaks over one page (20 items per page). This is quite a change from 2011.
I’d be interested to hear what the Kindle e-reader owners feel about this and if they have the same perspective.
H”App”y to talk to anyone interested on the subject.
Filed under: Amazon Store, Kindle App Analysis | 4 Comments »
