Residents of the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain can now purchase Android apps through Amazon, the company announced Thursday morning.
Amazon's marketplace for Android apps launched in the U.S. in early 2011. Its European expansion has been anticipated for some time -- the company has been asking developers to submit apps for distribution in western Europe since late June. Further global expansion is planned in the near future, Amazon says.
The retail giant's biggest competition in Europe, as elsewhere, is Google's Play store, which already offers paid apps in approximately 130 countries and free apps in all countries but Iran.
There's no word yet on whether Amazon will be bringing its Kindle Fire to Europe soon, as well. The company has been selling Kindle e-readers and e-books in the UK since mid-2010, in France since late 2011 and India as of last week. It also sells e-books -- but no e-reader -- in Latin America. Amazon has never made its Android tablet available for sale outside the U.S., however.
Similarly, Barnes & Noble announced earlier this month that it would begin selling e-books and its EInk e-readers in the UK come October, but not its Nook Color Android tablet. UK retailers John Lewis, Argos, Blackwell's and Foyles have all agreed to carry its e-readers, B&N said this week.
Perhaps the next-generation Kindle Fire, which may be unveiled at an Amazon press event next week, will make its way across international waters.