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Angry Birds Rio for Android to launch exclusively on Amazon Appstore

Coming in paid and ad-supported versions

Angry Birds Rio for Android to launch exclusively on Amazon Appstore
Once GetJar provided Rovio with a route to market on Android that bypassed Google's own Android Market.

Now, Amazon's yet-to-be-launched Appstore is the flavour of the day, with the Finnish firm announcing that the Android version of Angry Birds Rio – developed in conjunction with Twentieth Century Fox – will launch exclusively on the online retailer's marketplace sometime in early April.

Rio meets Rovio

The release of Angry Birds Rio will mark a renewed assault on Google's platform for the franchise, just as total series downloads top 100 million.

As well as serving up paid and ad-supported version of the game, the original Angry Birds and Angry Birds Seasons will also launch on Amazon's Appstore in paid form, bringing the series' total on the marketplace to four different releases in one swoop.

"The Android platform has seen phenomenal growth, and it's great that new avenues for app distribution are opening up," said Mikael Hed, CEO of Rovio.

"The openness of the Android platform works for the benefit of consumers and developers alike. It has been delightful to team up with Amazon to bring the Angry Birds franchise to this great new application marketplace."

The Android market

The news is less good for Android Market, which continues to see a string of high profile releases choose to debut on third-party app stores, or skip the marketplace altogether.

Both Digital Chocolate and Zynga have previously opted to launch content on GetJar rather than Google's official channel.

Amazon's Appstore, which was first unveiled back in January, is the first challenger to come from a major firm, with Google having previously contended with independent outfits such as GetJar.

 


[source: Amazon]


With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.