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Beginning with the newly announced HTC Droid DNA, Verizon will be partnering with Amazon to offer the digital retailer’s content ecosystem on upcoming Android devices. In addition, Amazon will serve up Verizon subscribers with a digital storefront for the purchase of physical goods.
The experience will be integrated into Android devices such as the Droid DNA and provides full access to a users library of digital purchases, from books to music. A single sign-in and one-click buying makes acquiring new content from Amazon’s collection of over 22 million books and songs all the easier. Everything is compiled into a single application that can access Amazon’s suite of services seamlessly.
The new app, which actually looks pretty slick, will be exclusive to Verizon devices for the time being and brings about an interesting Android Market alternative by copying the all-in-one approach of Google, not that we are complaining. It will be interesting to see what, if any, effect this could have on Verizon’s position on the Google Play Store. This is the company that bypassed Google search in favor of Bing on select Android handsets, after all.
I like it and even if they got rid of the play store you could just side load it and not worry about it
Hoorayyyy, more bloat!
Its actually less because you will soon be rid of the Verizon App store and you combine the various Amazon apps into one
Sure is a lot of hype for a widget…
ecosystem widget
More bloat for a phone with limited storage… WOW
YAYYYYYYY!!! Bloatware for one and all!
I just want the Prime Video app for my Google TV and Nexus 7
Agreed. I don’t consider it bloatware since I use all of Amazon services, but Amazon seriously needs to include prime video for all android devices. I don’t get why they don’t. Hulu and Netflix have an app, what the holdup?
Defining bloatware isn’t easy; it’s kind of like porn – you know it when you see it. I think the majority of people will see this as bloatware, even if they do find it useful.
An overreaching definition might include any app that isn’t essential to the core functionality of the device, and could be loaded later as a user app without loss of functionality when compared to a pre-installed app. By this definition, many of Google apps pre-installed on a Nexus device would be considered bloatware, though I don’t think most people see it that way.
Nobody wants apps on their phone that they’ll never use, but this exclusivity stuff is BS.
At its core, all Android phones operate (better) with Google apps.
depends on the kind of porn
I would imagine Amazon doesn’t want to hurt sales of the Kindle Fire series of devices. Hulu and Netflix don’t have a physical device sales they’re trying to protect.
By that logic, they wouldn’t want to have a Kindle app for Android because it would hurt sales of the e-ink Kindles. They already have their Amazon Video app on the iTunes app store, so I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before they port it to the Play Store too.
Amazon probably keeps its exclusive so they sell more Kindle Fires.
I disagree on these grounds. That first, while I like Amazon’s services someone might not. I hate getting stuck with an app that others use but I do not, so why force it on everyone?
Next, while it may be somewhat convenient initially it will be a pain in the butt later. Why? Because Verizon has to modify the ROM to include the extra apps. This mean that later when the next version of Android comes out the OTA gets delayed because Verizon has to customize the ROM again before it’s customers get the OTA. This just makes one more unneeded delay in the update process.
Now if the included apps weren’t a part of the ROM, and could be deleted as the user wishes then I wouldn’t care. And I might even like it. Heck you can even delete included programs that come with Windows. But in the end the cost of preloaded apps is too high and I wish Verizon would just stop it.
But I agree that I wish Amazon put out a Prime Video app…just that it was downloadable, not included.
Agreed. I’ve been waiting for that for I don’t know how long!!
I will second that! Except I’d prefer to not have it included in the ROM, just available to download from Google Play, or even Amazon’s own App Store.
Bloatware for sure, but useful if you use the amazon ecosystem. Up next, the Amazon Droid Kindle HD by Verizon.
Plus, like how when you swipe to the widget, it changes the wallpaper. Also, I didn’t know the new Sense used the stock android keyboard.
Are they replacing the google ecosystem? I specifically hacked a kindle fire just to get the play store because the amazon app store barely has any apps.
And their market’s app updates don’t seem to be as frequent, either.
If Verizon dumps Google Play, I will dump Verizon
Verizon sure is trying hard to make it as easy as possible for people to make that decision to leave.
VZW customer motto: “We’re not happy until you’re not happy.” :p
Talk about insult to injury. I’ve had enough of their antics they’ve pulled this year. I may be switching over to another carrier very soon.
I think that’s premature. I don’t see that happening. Verizon just cut Verizon Apps, why would they cut Google Play…..They know that Google Play is the future.
Why the hell would someone downvote this?
Trolling…or they are a Verizon employee/zombie loyalist who doesn’t know anything else.
Good. Now maybe Google will pry Verizon’s tit out of Motorola’s mouth and release the RAZR on all carriers.
This is fantastic news, it means it wont be preloaded on AT&T phones for a long time! So glad Im not on verizon.
You’re drunk Verizon, Go home…
Now i know why Google released the Nexus 4 for so cheap unlocked >.>
No, no you don’t. Stop acting like one equals the other. If it has both Google and Amazons store … it’s just another bunch of apps. Mr. Clairvoyant.
http://nooooooooooooooo.com/
They will not leave Google ecosystem. HTC would not get TA from Google without GMS and proper placement of Play Store. No worries here boys. Amazon stuff will be relegated to a page away from home.
good. i needed less and less of that shitty internal memory that it came with……..
I’m so glad not to be a Verizon customer! The openness and freedom of choice on the GSM networks is much nicer. Now the GSM networks just need to expand their reach across the US and get their LTE up and running.
Yeah AT&T is so open and free. /sarc
Oh yes, we have a smart one here. /sarc <– (like that was even needed.) I can take my unlocked Galaxy Nexus with stock android that I'm using on T-Mobile, and switch to AT&T at any time just by switching the SIM card (and do the same in other countries if need be). If they offered a better deal than what I have now, I would do that. That doesn't work with most phones on a CDMA network. They require proprietary software/hardware for their phones to work on their networks. If somebody else got a Galaxy Nexus on Verizon (which came with Verizon software preloaded on it btw), could that person switch to another carrier with their phone? Nope. It's locked in so yes, AT&T allows for more freedom and choice than Verizon. Would AT&T rather have you use their phones with their partner's software on it? Sure, but my point is, you don't have to.
AT&T doesn’t allow sideloading. That’s a dealbreaker for me.
Verizon just likes to test the limits of Google by taking in boat loads of money from other companies. They are a whore, but an executive one at that.
They tried that with Bing. We saw how well that worked out. This may have a similar fate.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b2LPeQ7_Lt0/T_KXebTBBxI/AAAAAAAABv0/QPePG0aYsB4/s1600/The+Joker+-+And+Here+We+Go.Gif
VZW: “Yo dawg, we heard you like apps so we filled up your limited memory with apps so you can shop for apps to fill up your limited memory.”
Remember when the Samsung Fascinate had Bing as the default search engine? Verizon has a history of doing weird things like this.
Glad I just switched back to Tmobile today Lool !!
They should have preloaded it with an sd card slot instead. That or unlimited data
Cocky Verizon is cocky.
I will be livid if this hits my GNEX in the 4.2 update.. Freaking VZW this is why I am leaving you..
Considering it is a Nexus device, I would not worry about it too much.
Bloat ware if it’s not removable, expecially debuing on a phone with 11gb of usable space and not expandable :-(
Oh good, another place to play music. Never have to be bored with finding any track in just one place. And one-button links to MOAR AMAZON properties such as IMDB, so I just launch my Amazon app and find the IMDB button versus using my browser which auto-completes “IM…” for me.
Boy, it sure is great to live in the 21st century, thanks to Amazon’s amazing new portal app. Guess I’ll stop using AOL for sure whenever I’m on my Droid!
This is affiliate ware. Don’t use their app, because they don’t deserve commission payments.
Verizon = Dumb
Nobody wants Verizon’s crapware and nobody wants Amazon crapware.
Looking forward to some real competition between Amazon and Google Play now that both stores are preloaded on the same device.
This also means Amazon probably won’t waste time with their own phone. An Amazon phone with no google play would be pretty dumb. Tablets are another thing because most google play apps aren’t really designed for tablets anyway.
It makes me sick to say this, but this kind of stuff could send people back to the iPhone. We shouldn’t have to root our phones after we shell out $700 in order to remove ads that we can’t opt out of. It’s absolutely ridiculous and could spell trouble for Android in the future.
The hat trick of turds. 2020mAh Batt, 16gig, and now this. I was really looking forward to this phone
Neat.
You can use it to check out what has become the crappy free app du jour.
-well unless you are ten years old that is.
Yeah, free app of the day started out nice with functional ‘adult’ apps… now is just crappy doodle this, jump that apps that even 10 year olds wont touch.
This is just their play on Google.. They don’t want to allow Google Wallet or anything they are not getting a payout from.
Oh geez! I like to download some of Amazon’s apps. like Imdb, and the Kindle app, ect. But there are a few I don’t use and hate having on my device, like Amazon MP3. I mean sure, I like Amazon as much as the next guy, but I’d prefer to choose what ultimately makes it on my device. Now I’ll just get more bloat, that takes up more room on the limited space allotted for storage in the first place.
Grrrr! I hate you Verizon!! First you take away my upgrade credit and charge me $30 instead, then you take away my unlimited plan for your crappy and expensive “share” plans, and now you want to give me more bloat…well my contract is up in January, so unless you can entice me to sign up for another two years (that I will no doubt regret) I might just be moving on to a carrier that sucks slightly less than you do.