Verizon recently announced that they would be launching their own V CAST Android App Store, but a new rumor suggests that their app store won't be the only newcomer to the Android platform.  Amazon, makers of the Kindle e-reader, is said to be creating their own Android app store.  Some of the more interesting aspects of the rumored Amazon Android app store include:

• A "List Price" for each app that will prevent developers from selling their apps for less on "similar services" like other app stores

• If your app is available on Amazon's store and another platform, you must update the Amazon version at the same time as on other platforms

• Apps will come with Amazon DRM packed in

• Apps may be shown on Amazon.com

• Apps can be free

• The app store will be U.S.-only for the time being

• Amazon has "sole discretion to determine all features and operations of this program and to set the retail price and other terms on which we sell Apps”

What good is an app store without an Amazon-branded device to use all of these apps on, right?  To that end, Amazon is also rumored to be planning their own Android-powered tablet.  There's no other information on the device, but considering how many other companies are jumping into the Great Tablet Race, I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see Amazon planning their own entrant.

While I'm sure that Amazon could come up with some great apps for their own Android app store, I'm not sure that the would needs another app store, especially one specific to the Android platform.  Fragmentation has long been a problem with Android, and while it's usually the OS distribution that has fragmented the platform, too many Android app stores could have a similar effect.  After all, wouldn't you hate to see a great app available for Android, but then learn that it's only available to Amazon or V CAST-approved devices?  Both the Amazon app store and tablet are still rumors at this point, so we'll just have to see how things pan out before we get too ahead of ourselves.  I'm sure we'll be hearing more about all of these Amazon rumors soon, so stay tuned!

Via TechCrunch (1), (2)