Must Read: Sorry, but bringing back the Start menu won't help Windows 8

Topic: Browser

Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

Summary: Amazon has its own ecosystem that today, with the launch of Cloud Drive and Cloud Player, the company is quietly merging with that of Android.

James Kendrick

By for Mobile News |

I have been shouting from the rooftops, well the blog pages, that Amazon is poised to become a disruptor in the mobile space. The company has its own ecosystem that can compete nicely with that of Apple, and today with the launch of Cloud Drive and Cloud Player Amazon is quietly merging it with that of Android. It's actually bumping out the Android system with its own, truth be told.

Amazon's conquer of the Android ecosystem began quietly at the launch of the Android platform. It leveraged its Kindle ebook system on the new platform by building the Kindle app for Android. It put the app on other platforms too, a good business decision, but it was the Android app that figured heavily in future plans. The astounding growth of the Android platform brought Kindle book sales right along with it.

The company was quick to get the Amazon MP3 app on Android, too. It was like putting its MP3 store in the pockets of millions of customers. That number kept growing along with the Android platform, just like Kindle book sales. Rapidly Amazon was becoming a major force in Android-based retail.

The recent launch of the Amazon Appstore to sell Android apps firmly entrenched the company's business in the platform ecosystem. One could argue that it is the beginning of a process whereby Amazon takes over the ecosystem, by subtly pushing the Android Market to the side. Amazon is playing this cleverly, with only the top Android apps in its store initially. These popular apps, typical Amazon promotions (free app of the day) and a simple user experience will eventually push the "genuine" Android Market to the side of the road. One day folks are going to realize they are doing all of their Android shopping at Amazon.

Today's launch of cloud services is the next step in the Android takeover. It makes it easy and cheap to move all MP3 shopping/listening to both Amazon and Android. Hit a button, buy a music album that is stored in the Amazon cloud and listen to it on any Android device. In addition to the Amazon Appstore, the company has brought Android to its cloud services in one brilliant move. It insures that every Android device owner does business with Amazon of one type or another: apps, music, ebooks or all three.

The last step for a complete Amazon takeover of the Android ecosystem will be the appearance of the Amazon Tablet. It will be based on Android, of course, and have a good complement of hardware and software features to compete with other Android tablets. It will also have something no other product will have, a tight, easy to use integration with all of Amazon's services and shopping. It will make it easy to do everything you can do with a tablet while using Amazon's services, apps bought from Amazon, all while listening to music bought from Amazon that is streaming from Amazon servers. Game, set and match.

Topics: Browser, Amazon

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

48 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

    Ahhh, if only it would happen. I would love to see a tablet made by Amazon. The Kindle is actually a very nice piece of hardware, and much better integrated than the Nook in my opinion. Amazon has a huge potential for a tablet running Android.<br><br>The question from my end is, considering that Amazon has the cloud services including an App Store, will Amazon actually build the tablet to run a recognizable Android interface, or will they modify it to make it Amazon OS? They don't need the benefits of the OHA anymore!
    jglopic
    Reply Vote

    • When Google finally opens Honeycomb

      @jglopic The question becomes is it in Google's interest to let Amazon have an even stronger in-road to Android dominance?
      matthew_maurice
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

        @matthew_maurice

        I don't really see what Amazon is doing as disruptive for Google. I mean, all they are doing is filling some of the gaps in the platform and selling/promoting Android devices and apps. They are not really encroaching on areas where Google is putting most of their attention (ads, maps, gmail, voice...). I think Google should embrace this.
        Theli
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

        This is some really great advice especially for people who have not been out on their own before.
        <a href="http://www.totalinterviewquestions.com/">Interview Questions and Answers</a>
        michealyjhon
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

      @jglopic I agree with you. Will be looking forward for it if this will be made possible.


      <H1><strong><a href="http://hlcgroup.net">Mortgage Rates</a></strong></H1>

      <H1><strong><a href="http://hlcgroup.net">Mortgage Louisville KY</a></strong></H1>
      annecross
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

      @jglopic How can the Kindle actually now compete with the likes of the iPad? That's what I want to know.<a href="http://www.outdoorlightsgalore.com/landscape-lighting-ideas/solar-patio-lights">Solar Patio Lights</a>
      john7334
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

    Game set match*

    (*) US Only.
    tatiGmail
    Reply Vote

    • &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.androidsmartphones.net&quot;&gt;Android&lt;/a&gt;

      @tatiGmail I agree
      LLisa80
      Reply Vote

  • I agree with all your points except one.

    Amazon does not need to get into the hardware business to dominate the Android ecosystem. I don't foresee an Amazon Android tablet in the near future for much the same reasons I can't see a Facebook smartphone. Both products are outside each company's core businesses.
    kenosha77a
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

      @kenosha7777 they sell Kindle. why not a tablet?
      tatiGmail
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

        @tatiGmail

        Actually, a very good point!

        But the Kindle really has few dedicated e-book reader competitors. (The Nook Color and a few minor others as well. However, the Nook Color will soon be upgraded to a full blown Android Tablet so, I see your point.)

        Still, Amazon doesn't need to enter into a soon to be saturated tablet market with their own hardware to succeed. Their Android Store is something that the other hardware tablet competitors will have a hard time duplicating.
        kenosha77a
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

        @kenosha7777

        I agree, I foresee their store eventually becoming the de facto App Store for Android. But, for them to really offer an Apple-like experience (where they control the whole user experience, well almost), I think they need to release a tablet. Like Apple, Amazon hold the keys to a massive content ecosystem (music, movies, streaming content, they own Audioble.com, they have the credit cards and the one-click purchase). All they need now is a solid hardware lineup of their own that ties closely into their ecosystem. Hard to see them not brining out their own tablet.
        dave95.
        Reply Vote

      • kenosha7777: The tablet market has barely gotten off the ground...

        <i>Amazon doesn't need to enter into a soon to be saturated tablet market with their own hardware to succeed.</i>

        The tablet market has barely gotten off the ground, and it's still a wide open field for any player to take over, or even for new players to get their wares into the field.

        Saturation is not something that will ever happen in a market where products come and go so quickly, and where contracts run out every two years, and people are getting subsidized through the service providers.

        Besides, with a potential market into the hundreds of millions, or perhaps into the billions, the tablet market, up to now, is barely noticeable compared to the possibilities for future growth.
        adornoe
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

      @kenosha7777 But, for them to really offer an Apple-like experience (where they control the whole user experience, well almost), I think they need to release a tablet. Like Apple, Amazon hold the keys to a massive content ecosystem (music, movies, streaming content, they own Audioble.com, they have the credit cards and the one-click purchase). <a href="http://www.thesanfranciscolocksmith.com">locksmith san francisco</a> | <a href="http://www.yoursanfranciscoplumber.com">plumber san francisco</a>
      gogiants
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

    I don't understand what "Dominating the Android Ecosystem" even means.

    More options for us Android users? Yep!

    Competition to Apple iOS and making them look very slow in this race? Totally!

    Ah, okay, I see what you mean now.
    Droid101
    Reply Vote

    • Not sure I'd call Apple slow.

      @Droid101 It's pretty much assumed that a subscription model for iTunes would be "game over" for anyone else trying to sell music online. Which is why the labels have never allowed Apple to do it. The Lala acquisition made people believe that was imminent, but now that the labels could have a credible alternative to the iTunes stranglehold it could very well be that we'll finally see a streaming option of iTunes.
      matthew_maurice
      Reply Vote

      • &quot;now that the labels could have a credible alternative&quot;

        @matthew_maurice


        Apparently Amazon did this without the consent of the labels.

        [u]http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/29/us-amazon-idUSTRE72S13H20110329[/u]
        msalzberg
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

        @msalzberg Yeah, so it's a ballsy move on their part. It could come back to bite them. If the labels' response is to litigate, and they lose, their response would likely be to let Apple to stream as well. [i]That[/i] would let the 800 lb gorilla into the room.
        matthew_maurice
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

      @Droid101

      Making the Apple iOS ecosystem look slow?

      Well, only if you consider the total number of Android Apps being sold in Apple's App Store compared to the number of Android Apps sold in Amazon's App Store.
      kenosha77a
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Today Amazon locked up the Android ecosystem

        @kenosha7777
        Or, the fact that they have a free cloud music system before Apple did?

        Are you being purposefully obtuse? Or just trolling?

        Figured.
        Droid101
        Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close