Download Portals: 5000 applications on Marketplace, 200 000 for Android

Slowly but surely, mobile application download portals are starting to fill up. While the App Store remains clearly the leader, the Android Market continues to see new additions at the same time as the Windows Phone Market Place.

Mobile applications now play a strategic role in the Smartphone’s segment (which is starting to over take traditional mobile phones) and while having a large number of applications doesn’t mean that they are all quality, the evolution of software releases indicates that programmers are still developing applications for numerous platforms.

The Android Market has now passed through the barrier of 200 000 applications available. This figure has been released by AndroLib, although it should be taken with caution as they have a tendency of over estimating. Even if this mark hasn’t been broken though, Google’s application portal shouldn’t be far off the mark.

They are slowly catching up to Apple, with the App Store claiming close to 300 000 mobile applications available in October 2010. The difference remains consequential, but Google is counting on the support of an increased number of compatible Smartphone’s to push along demand.


5000 for Windows Phone 7
On their side, the Windows Phone Marketplace has passed the 5 000 applications mark. This may not seem like a lot but it shouldn’t be forgotten that Microsoft has started from scratch for Windows Phone 7, cutting loose from their twenty thousand Windows Mobile applications, while compatible handsets were only made available in October in Europe and Asia/Pacific and November in the United States.

Microsoft has also stated on numerous occasions that they are looking for quality and are not interested in getting into a race for the most number of applications. The competing BlackBerry App World has also passed through 10 000 available applications, while Nokia prefers to only communicate daily download figures for their Ovi Store portal, with this not only offering applications but also content (screen backgrounds, ring tones, etc.). The Nokia portal also targets not just Symbian based Smartphone’s but also Series 40 handsets.

The Ovi Store recently passed through the 3 million daily downloads mark, with the portal having a presence in more than 190 countries.