It was estimated today that the Android Market could hit 100,000 total apps by the end of July, indicating a huge milestone for the open app marketplace.
Through stats distributed by Androlib, it’s estimated that there’s roughly 90,000 total apps in the Android Market, with more than 9,000 added since the beginning of July- clearly indicating it will surpass the 100,000 mark by the end of the month, if not sooner. What’s interesting about the equation is that Google last night announced App Inventor, which allows anyone to create Android apps with ease- which could be a good or bad thing for the quality of apps that hit the Market. One thing’s for sure though, the sheer number of apps will surely surge in the very near future.
Apple’s App Store has surpassed the 200,000 mark, which is substantially more than the Android Market, but with more and more Android-based devices hitting the market, and the promise of Android tablets coming down the pipeline, Android will surely be nipping at its heels soon. With more devices coming, increased developer interest in the Android platform in general, and now the introduction of App Inventor, the Android Market will undoubtedly become the biggest mobile app marketplace available.
Though quantity is one thing, quality is what Apple’s App Store will always have over the Android Market, especially once App Inventor gains steam. People can criticize Apple for it’s strict approval process, but it does make for a quality user-experience in all the apps that make it through. While many place emphasis on quantity, down the road when mobile apps are more than mainstream and available to the masses, quality will overtake as the primary attribute. That’s when things should get really interesting.
