There are already more than 40 stores where Android-based applications are distributed.
One of the main advantages of Apple is the virtual App store App Store. Despite the fact that the presence of a single distribution channel imposes certain restrictions (for example, the promotion of iPhone applications is a whole science, because it is simply impossible to buy advertising in the App Store), such an approach turns out to be convenient for both developers and buyers.
The main Android app store is Google’s Android Market. According to the portal AndroLib.com , a total of 2,787 applications and 39,348 games are collected here.
The American Amazon Appstore has settled in the same row of “supermarkets”, where the number of applications recently exceeded 15,000 applications. Despite the fact that purchases can only be made in the United States, this market has great prospects. For example, last week the Amazon Kindle Fire tablet was released with the built-in Amazon Appstore client. In addition, in September, the news leaked to the media that access to the Amazon Market became possible not only for Americans, but for residents of other countries, including Russia – the information was not officially confirmed in any way, moreover, access for other countries was suspended after a while.
If we talk about the rest of the stores that distribute Android applications, then they can be divided into device developer markets (vendors), telecom operator markets, independent markets and aggregators that accept applications from developers and distribute them through partner channels (such as Appia, Cellmania, Ubinuri).
Vendor stores are represented by Samsung, Motorolla, Sony Ericcson, HTC.
Appslib is an app store built into Chinese Archos tablets. Given the fact that access to the Android Market is often turned off to the Chinese (for example, as happened recently), this is a very interesting thing for developers
The main markets of telecom operators: Verizon, Vodafone, Orange, Docomo NTT, T-mobile, Sprint, AT&T.
There are also independent cross-platform stores: for example, Getjar – a large showcase of free applications; SlideMe, Handango, AndAppStore, Handmark, Opera Mobile Store.
Each app store has its own requirements for products and sets its own rules. For example, in-app purchase (in-app purchases) are possible only in Google’s Android Market; there are markets where applications are distributed only on a free basis. In addition, developers who want to be represented in the maximum number of stores have to make a lot of graphic promotional materials (their requirements are everywhere), write different descriptions, etc. The same for everyone is except that the share of sales that has to be shared with the owners of the market – like Apple, they ask for 30%.