Kindle Fire doesn't support Android Market - isn't this an antitrust issue?

[rivan]

So now I've got two android devices - a phone and a Kindle Fire. Obviously there's a desire for Amazon to run all app purchases through their store, but isn't that anticompetetive in some way?

 

[bearxor]

No. Because Amazon will never call it an Android tablet. That's why there's still a debate as to wether or not it should be considered an Android tablet.

Amazon thinks it's a Kindle that runs Android apps from it's online store. Amazon doesn't think it's a Android tablet.

 

[Red Storm]

It runs Android (a customized version, but it's still Android), so it's an Android tablet. However, there's no legal issue here. Android is open source. Amazon can do just about whatever they want with it. The same way Samsung, HTC, and Motorola do their own thing.

 

[rivan]

It runs Android (a customized version, but it's still Android), so it's an Android tablet. However, there's no legal issue here. Android is open source. Amazon can do just about whatever they want with it. The same way Samsung, HTC, and Motorola do their own thing.

I'm not questioning what they did to Android.

Obviously IANAL but it seems to me controlling the content flow in the way they have is anticompetetive in the same way Windows shipping with only IE was.

 

[Bateluer]

It runs Android (a customized version, but it's still Android), so it's an Android tablet. However, there's no legal issue here. Android is open source. Amazon can do just about whatever they want with it. The same way Samsung, HTC, and Motorola do their own thing.

Yep, so long as Amazon abides by the GPL.

But, as far as I'm aware, the Fire can pretty easily get Android Market(Google Play?) side loaded?

 

[Red Storm]

I'm not questioning what they did to Android.

Obviously IANAL but it seems to me controlling the content flow in the way they have is anticompetetive in the same way Windows shipping with only IE was.

Not really, it's just more "walled garden" similar to Apple's approach. If they wanted to they could remove the app store altogether, but then no one would buy it.

 

[Deeko]

The Android Market is a Google property - it is not a part of the Android Open Source Project. Devices that build around ASOP do not get Google's closed source app suite - Android Market, gmail, google maps, youtube, google talk. Not anti-competative...you want Google's services, create a Google-licensed device.

Besides, even if it were, Amazon would have to be the one to push that angle, and they won't - they want you to buy apps from their store. Amazon is, at its heart, just a giant store after all. They aren't profiting off the Kindle Fire hardware, they want it to be a content vehicle.

 

[rivan]

Oh, I absolutely understand the business case for Amazon to run all apps through their market.

I guess I just can't see how this would ever fly in other arenas.

Say ASUS started selling Windows netbooks but you could only use Windows software purchased through the ASUS store.

Oh well. Maybe I'm just QQing because I've got all these apps from the Android Market that I can't (easily) use without rebuying it all through the Appstore.

 

[Deeko]

Its not locked, though - you can run any Android apk you come across. You just have to install it yourself.

 

[alent1234]

google market and apps cost $15 per device to license. no law says amazon has to pay that

 

[poofyhairguy]

Say ASUS started selling Windows netbooks but you could only use Windows software purchased through the ASUS store.

Windows is closed source so that isn't a good analogy.

It is closer to Dell selling Ubuntu laptops in which the easy way to install apps is through Ubuntu's Package Manager. If you want you can sit there and compile and install apps by hand (just like you can sideload apks or even hack the Google market onto a Kindle), but it is WAY harder than just installing what the Package Manager gives you.

That's why there's still a debate as to wether or not it should be considered an Android tablet.

It is not debatable. Apps bought on the Amazon App Store work on both my SGS2 and my mom's Fire.

 

[theeedude]

No, but I do think their interception of Android Market links and redirection to Amazon Appstore is a trademark infringement issue.

 

[corkyg]

Apple runs thru iTunes. So what. Buyers have a choice. If I don't like Amazon, I can buy a Nook.

 

[jhansman]

Apple runs thru iTunes.

It sure does. I have a $25 iTunes Store gift card that has been sitting on my desk for months now. Perhaps I could use it for a bookmark...

 

[alent1234]

No, but I do think their interception of Android Market links and redirection to Amazon Appstore is a trademark infringement issue.

how?

they aren't using google's trademark in advertising

 

[theeedude]

how?

they aren't using google's trademark in advertising

User clicks link to Android Market link, which is an advertisement for product sold by Google, instead ends up redirected to Amazon's Appstore. Amazon is using Google's registered trademark to generate traffic for it's Appstore. It's like a business putting another business' logo on its storefront to lure people in.

 

[alent1234]

if amazon put google's logos into their products it would be a trademark violation, but they are not

they have their own app store and simply redirecting you to their version of the app

 

[theeedude]

if amazon put google's logos into their products it would be a trademark violation, but they are not

they have their own app store and simply redirecting you to their version of the app

Using a Google market link.

 

[alent1234]

amazon is not advertising google's logos, that's the point. it's only a trademark violation if amazon would do something like say the kindle is based on google's android

on the amazon kindle fire page there is no mention of google

 

[cheezy321]

Oh you mean like on Google when I search for the apple ipad and an ad for the kindle fire shows up? That should be a trademark issue too then.

 

[Deeko]

User clicks link to Android Market link, which is an advertisement for product sold by Google, instead ends up redirected to Amazon's Appstore. Amazon is using Google's registered trademark to generate traffic for it's Appstore. It's like a business putting another business' logo on its storefront to lure people in.

Going to an application on market.android.com does not take you to the Amazon app store. Are you referring to URLs preceded with market://? I don't see how that's a trademark issue - on the Kindle Fire, that would otherwise just result in an error. Why not present them with the much more positive user experience of taking them to the app store, which is what the user would want 99.9999% of the time?

A URL is just a map to get to something, and market is just a protocol telling the browser that what you're looking for is not a website, but an application. Last time I checked, protocols are not something you can trademark, nor does Google own a trademark on the word "market".

 

[alent1234]

no, google is a search engine and has protection under common carrier laws

 

[theeedude]

amazon is not advertising google's logos, that's the point. it's only a trademark violation if amazon would do something like say the kindle is based on google's android

on the amazon kindle fire page there is no mention of google

It IS advertising using Google's logos though. It is taking Android Market links, some of which are logos and directing clicks on it to Amazon's site without Google's permission.
http://www.android.com/developers/branding.html
Google is very specific that Android Market (now Play) logos should direct users to its websites.

When used online, the badge logo should be used to direct users to:

The Google Play landing page: play.google.com

The Google Play Apps landing page: play.google.com/store/apps

A list of products that include your company name, for example, http://play.google.com/store/search?q=yourCompanyName

A list of products published by you, for example, http://play.google.com/store/search?q=publisherName

A specific app product details page within Google Play, for example, http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=packageName

 

[alent1234]

i give up

google's army of lawyers must be real morons to let this grave injustice continue

 

[poofyhairguy]

It is taking Android Market links, some of which are logos and directing clicks on it to Amazon's site without Google's permission.

SlideME does the same on my SGS2 if I let it.