Amazon is working on an ‘Unlocked’ section for its Appstore, through which users will be able to download paid apps and make in-app purchases for free, TechCrunch said.

It is not known when this section will be launched or how many apps it will have, but developers like Sega America and apps that are considered as “high value” – like OfficeSuite 8 + PDF Converter – are said to be included.

The company hopes the new pricing model will not only encourage users to download more apps from the store, but also download the Amazon app, which is a prerequisite in order to get the free apps.

The Amazon Appstore is integrated into all of the company’s Fire devices, including tablets and smartphones. Amazon is also providing access to its store for BlackBerry device users.

Although Amazon has 400,000 apps in its catalogue, Apple and Google offer more than 1 million each.

Corey Badcock, head of worldwide developer evangelism at Amazon, wrote in a blog post celebrating the Appstore’s fourth birthday last week that “65 per cent of the developers surveyed by IDC say that the total revenue achieved on the Fire tablet is similar to, or even better than, what they experience with other major platforms”.

The post also said the Appstore was offering a free bundle of 34 apps worth $105.

Another reason Amazon is trying to up the ante is that developers are keeping away from its ecosystem as sales of its phone have been low. It does not detail its Fire tablet sales.