Amazon offers Kindle apps creation using Kindle Development Kit to developers

Amazon has announced that it will offer developers the ability to develop applications for the Kindle e-reader device. The offering will enable developers to run active content on the device. Third party developers will have the freedom to develop applications which are meant for the ebook reader.

Photo: Amazon Kindle 2

The main applications that would be run on Kindle would be interactive books, travel guides with location data and RSS readers. The applications could also include magazine and newspaper subscriptions.

The revenue split holds the key between the company and the developers. Right now, a major chunk of the revenue from the ebook reader Kindle goes towards the company. But with the new Kindle Development Kit (KDK) terms, the split will be 70:30, where 70 will go to the developer and 30 to the company.

The 70:30 revenue split between the developers and the company is not a coincidence – Apple’s iTunes store has the same ratio of revenue split. Amazon might be trying to pre-empt Apple, which is expected to announce an Apple table (possibly named iSlate) next week.

However, Kindle apps which developers might create using KDK start with a disadvantage – the Apple Tablet is expected to be a full-colour, touchscreen device that has full web browsing functionality – while the Kindle uses an e-Ink screen that is good for displaying text and drawings but not much else.

The Active Content or the new applications, will surely make the Kindle more interesting, but some fear the addition of the new applications will also make it more distracting at the same time. The Kindle Development Kid allows the use of wireless 3G connection. So, for all those who are addicted to checking mails every 5 minutes on their handhelds, here’s a chance of repetition. If the data usage per month is less than 100KB, then there won’t be any charge, but if it is more, then there is a charge of $0.15 per MB, which the customer will have to shell out from his pocket.