Gadgets -Android Market Boasts More Than 200000 Apps

Ever since Google’s 2008 launch of the Android Market, used for downloading Android-based applications and games, the Android developers community has been mushrooming. As a result, application programs or apps have been on the rise. And the market continues to grow at an alarming pace, adding new apps and games continuously.

Another interesting statistics provided by AndroLib is the number of apps downloaded. It shows that more than 2.5 billion apps have been downloaded in the Android Market. Also, for clarification, an app for Android includes live wallpapers, widget apps, soundboards, ringtones, and other similar applications.Only a few months back, Google’s estimate indicated that there are more than 100,000 available apps are. A few months later, AndroLib, a website that keeps track of the amount and types of apps in the Android Market, released a new figure. According to AndroLib’s latest statistics, the Android Market now boasts a little more than 200,000 apps. At this rate, market watchers are optimistic that in another few months the Android Market could cross the 250,000 mark.

Even though this growth is phenomenal, the Android Market has a long way to go in comparison to Apple’s App Store., according to Mashable, an online guide to social media. As per this site, the App Store now offers more than 300,000 apps.

A poll conducted by Mashable early this month indicates that Android is popular amongst its readers. In this poll, Android devices were most wanted, taking first place with 41.2 percent votes as compared to 30.6 percent for iOS.

Android , a mobile operating system was initially developed by Android, Inc., which was bought by Google in 2005. Android is based upon a modified version of the Linux kernel. Unit sales for Android OS smartphones ranked first among all smartphone OS handsets sold in the U.S. in the second and third quarters of 2010, with a third quarter market share of 43.6 percent.