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Amazon app pulled from Google Play over policy violation, Amazon Shopping takes its place

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Amazon Shopping on Google Play

It was back in October Amazon got the bright idea to duplicate the functionality of their dedicated Appstore app by allowing the regular Amazon app to also download digital goods (like non-Play Store sanctioned Android apps). You know, the app you’re supposed to use when you want to find a new USB cable or buy some shampoo. Yeah, that one.

Well, turns out that may-or-may-not have been in direct violation Google’s stringent Play Store policies. As discovered by the folks over at Caschys Blog, this — in conjunction with Amazon requiring users to have the Amazon app installed if they looked to stream video content from a separately downloaded Amazon Prime Video app — resulted in the app being taken down from the Play Store. Okay, so it’s not completely removed. Performing a search wont actually pull up the original Amazon app and it’s not even listed under the rest of Amazon’s apps, but you can still find it via a direct link.

So what’s Amazon to do? Launch yet another Amazon app into the Play Store, that’s what. Because Amazon wants to make sure people have an easy way to continue making purchases from their smartphones, they’ve introduced the new and improved “Amazon Shopping” app for Android devices. The “new” app improves upon the original by stripping away the controversial Appstore that got it pulled in the first place. Now, you’ll only find physical real-world goods, with the description on Google Play no longer referencing “digital” goods of any kind.

As many of you know, Amazon is one of the many “bloatware” applications to come pre-installed on Android devices out of the box (carrier ones anyway). With Amazon’s original app no longer finding itself in Google’s good graces, we’re wondering what’s to become of it as it is a system application so deletion could be tricky. You can find the new Amazon Shopping app (sans Appstore) via the link below.

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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16 Comments

  1. Considering the run away success of there Fire OS, Im sure Amazon wont bat an eye….

    /s

    1. Even though this is comment was guaranteed to happen on this subject, it still made me laugh.

  2. So does that mean no more amazon video?

    1. I have the same question. The link for instant videos isn’t there on the new Amazon app.

      1. You have to have amazon app store installed for prime video. Exactly the same as before

        1. Ok then. I just watch a video from the old Amazon app, so I have what I need. Which makes sense because I haven’t uninstalled anything. Now how do I do I watch videos from the new app, since it has no tab to watch videos?

  3. I actually liked that ‘feature’. I guess we’ll have to get it from the Amazon Store in order to keep streaming video and getting other digital goods.

    1. I’m sure I’d have used it more… If Amazon Instant Video didn’t exclude tablets.

      1. You can EASILY get it to run on tablets

        1. Not via the Play Store. Is the Amazon App store version compatible? Maybe it’s not 5.0 ready or something, but it won’t install via Play to my nVidia Shield, and never did before. It also wouldn’t run on my PadFone X’s tablet mode before i ditched that.

          1. yes, install it from the amazon app store.
            I have it installed and working on HP Touchpad, Nook HD, Nook Tablet, Hisense Sero 7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, LG G2, and the old school Moto G.
            a bit o fiddle farting around, but works well

        2. Also won’t install to my Z3. I’ll check teh Amazon Store version.

  4. I wondered how long it would take before they WTFNuked it. Pretty douchey thing to do. I get it, but it still feels douchey to me.

  5. I still can’t use two different accounts, one for shopping and another for the appstore.

  6. Until they add true Chromecast support to Instant Videos, nothing Google does to them is douchey enough.

  7. thankfully even though it comes as bloatware on my last two phones, with both it can be uninstalled like any downloaded app, rather then being an untouchable app (without root at least)

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