Amazon’s Android AppStore, rumored back in October 2010, is now open for business, on the developer side at least. The alternative download store will be hitting Android devices later in 2011, but the retailer is inviting app submissions from developers to populate it ahead of launch. Unlike the official Android Market, Amazon will be quality checking each application prior to its listing in the store, and the retailer will also be taking control over how apps are priced.

Developers will be able to set “List Price” guidelines, but Amazon itself will be setting the retail price, much as it does with books and other products. Developers get 70-percent of the proceeds, but if Amazon decides to significantly discount their app or even make it free, they’re guaranteed a minimum of 20-percent of their list price.

Amazon’s recommendations engine will also come into play, suggesting apps based on other downloads or even other products bought, and users will be able to browse apps via the web interface and send them to their phone (though they’ll need to open the Amazon AppStore program on the phone in order to install the software). Payments will be through Amazon’s One-Click system, though Android device users will need to allow “Unknown Source” installations to get the store up and running.

[via TechCrunch]