Amazon opens app store to HTML5 developers

Amazon announced today that it is expanding its existing app distribution platform to accommodate HTML5 apps on Kindle Fire and Amazon's app store. "We've heard from developers that making their web apps available for mobile devices is hard because many times it means rewriting their app," says Mike George, vice president of Amazon Appstore and Games. "By launching support for HTML5 web apps in the Mobile App Distribution Program, we're giving web developers the tools they need." Amazon explained in an announcement:

Developers can now submit URLs for their HTML5 web apps and mobile websites and have Amazon offer that content to millions of Kindle Fire and Amazon Appstore customers in the same, convenient way as native apps.

HTML5 apps will also be able to incorporate Amazon's Javascript-based in-app purchasing API, to better monetize their products. You can learn more about the web app support expansion here.