The Android Market has crossed the 10,000 apps threshold. Though there were 5,000 apps listed as recently as May 2009, Androlib.com reports that the Market’s app and game total has since risen to 10,078.
According to Androlib.com, an online version of the Android Market, approximately 64.2% of apps listed in the Android Market (about 6,470) are free. The remaining 35.8% (about 3,607) are paid apps.
Keep in mind that AndroLib is estimating the number of apps, so this isn’t an exact science. There’s also no mention of how many of these listings are actual apps and not a duplicate “donate” version or accessory apps like aHome or Better Keyboard skins. We’re left wondering the same question as when Google or T-Mobile throws out these kind of stats: just how accurate are they?
Regardless, it provides an interesting look into how much the Market is growing in light of recent estimates that the Market is underperforming for paid apps. Just three months ago, Google said there were nearly 4,900 apps in the Android Market. If both sources are tracking apps within reasonably similar means/terms, that means the Android Market size has doubled in only 3 months. Again, that’s assuming the two sources share similar definitions of what qualifies as an app.
Here are some other very interesting stats from AndroLib
- About 81% of Android Market listings are apps and 19% are games
- About 64% of apps are rated as 4 stars or higher.
- More than half of all apps (56%) are downloaded less than 1,000 times. Only a very select few (0.9%) reach the widespread popularity of 250,000 or more downloads. See full chart here.
- Users most pleased with the market based on the 4 or 5 star standard seem to be Chinese (75%), Japanese (75%), Italian (71%), and Spanish (69%). Germans and Dutch users each reported 66%, Americans and Brits a combined 63%, and French at 62% were the least likely to give an app 4 or 5 stars. See full chart here.
September 8th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Very interesting data, thank you!
September 8th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
One reason the Android Market is "underperforming for paid apps" is because Google always tosses errors when a US customer tries to buy a non-US currency app and, I suspect, vice versa. I first encountered this problem during the first few days of owning the MyTouch. Wrote to Google, no response. Tried with several additional apps, another note to Google, still no response. I finally ran a google search, and quickly discovered that this has been a known problem since the Spring. So, please do NOT deduce that people won't pay. Quite the contrary, many of us believe in rewarding good developers with a purchase, but Google, literally, makes it impossible to do so. I've actually joined the SlideMe store, but it only carried 2 of the 5 apps I wanted.
September 8th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I'm definitely going to start downloading more apps now that I've rooted my G1 with the latest stable ROM from Cyanogen, and can install apps to my SD card. This will make a huge difference in how I use my phone, and I hope that the people behind Android will make adding this functionality to the standard ROM a priority.
September 8th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
That's just part of the problem. Take into account that many countries are not allowed to buy apps, and even more countries are not allowed to sell apps. The non-international situation causes many devs never to create commercial apps because they cannot sell them, and then you have soon-to-be-millions of Android users around the world that will only be able to download free apps or have to buy their apps via third party services as SlideMe. Overall, Android Store is in the middle of what Symbian and WinMo markets were before Apple, and where Apple has brought iPhone.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
I'd also like to add that my personal OPINION is that the lack of paid apps definitely affects the way that some non-U.S. customers view the Market. I've seen people comment that "this stinks, I i wish I could have _____" instead of just judging the app they are commenting/rating. Google really needs to get up and make paid apps available across the globe ASAP. Regardless of what merchant issues are holding them back, they need to resolve this.
September 9th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Desperate for full version of Robo Defense on my HTC Magic. Looks like it will not be happening anytime soon – at time of writing it is USA only. If this situation continues for too long I can see Android users leaving in droves when their contracts are up. Would be a shame that – so much potential wasted. I can hear the iphone users sniggering as I type.
September 9th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
I guess missing a worldwide release will spike Android app piracy to the point where it cannot be reserved and squashed. Your Robo Defence may be somewhere there as a apk'z
September 14th, 2009 at 5:13 am
The apps and games available to the Android market are terrible, some are great but face it, we all know a majority aren't that great. My brother has a iTouch, and from just playing around with it, there's A LOT of quality, fun apps for the Apple OS.
I'm waiting to see apps that are useful and fun, things that help people out in school, better UI, just better everything.
October 6th, 2009 at 12:34 am
I bought this phone and as a Windows Mobile user I am deeply perturbed at the lack of Quality apps the Android is carrying. it is not that developers are not developing is that the management team for Android needs to wake up and undersatnd that Android users are not Limited to the USA. and so Developers will be all over the world so they need to stop looking the developers from outsde the US from a COCK EYED POINT OF VIEW. I like in GUYANA , outh America and I have great respect for HTC. but with the ANDROID I am regretting I purchase this phone because the softwares sucks really bad.
October 27th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Yeah! Where’s the LOLcats, fart analysers, Feng Shui planners and iBeer apps already? I feel cheated!
Some nice stats – a comparison with similar iPhone stats would be good…