Amazon Shakes Up Developer Site: Offers New Dedicated Pages for Gaming and HTML5 App Developers

Amazon just can’t leave things alone announcing a number of updates to its Developer Portal. So what have they done?

They’ve made it easier to check an existing Android .apk for compatibility with the Amazon Appstore. Just drag your .apk to the updated testing widget on the Home page and get results in seconds. If your app is ready to go (as most are), you can start the app submission process directly from the results page.

The site-wide search tool in the top navigation bar can quickly get you to the page you are looking for. Just submit the term you are looking for and it will search the site for results

There is now a page where you can find all of the Amazon Appstore APIs, and see their compatible platforms. In the case of the Analytics API for example, you can see that it is compatible with apps sold on iOS, the Google Play Store, and the Amazon App Store.

Amazon has introduced a page dedicated to the tools and services that Game developers will find most helpful, including game engine plug-ins and cross-platform APIs that can help you maximize revenue from In App Purchasing. (you can still use these even if you’re not a game dev.)

Changes include giving HTML5/web app developers their own resources page as well as building a page specifically for iOS developers who may want to take advantage of some of the available Analytics tools, A|B Testing tools, or game services.  

Resources for PC and Mac game developers

New resources are detailed on the Mac and PC page to help you submit your game to Amazon and get noticed in the Digital Games and Software store, Indie Games store and Free-to-Play Store.

A new Community space provides you with access to the Amazon Developer Blog and Forums, and lists upcoming events and webinars, and lets you catch up on the latest tech news gathered from periodicals and blogs around the world.

This section contains links to development tools, marketing tips, and promotional programs. Also in this section are and learning resources including a one-stop-shop for all of the how-to videos, webinar videos, and case-study videos Amazon has produced. The second is the Documentation page, which contains easy links to API documentation, Kindle Fire info, dev environment setup help, app submission tips, and even marketing tips.