Android Markets hit 50k apps

[Deeko]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/23/android-market-clears-the-50-000-app-mark-says-androlib/

50k+ apps across all markets - so much for Android having trouble getting developers. The graph is pretty impressive - since Droid was released in early November, the app count has increased almost 5x.

 

[jpeyton]

If Apple's reason for suing HTC wasn't apparent before, now it is.

Android is EXPLODING. It's seeing staggering levels of growth. Apple simply can't compete for shelf space with a single phone and a single carrier when Android phones will be plentiful at multiple price points across all major carriers.

Their lawsuit against HTC is a weak, transparent attempt to slow down Android. It won't work, obviously, but they have so much in cash reserves that I doubt they had the incentive not to file it.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

maybe but weren't we at 50k apps long time ago on the iPhone? The apps on Android quite frankly suck. I mean certain Twitter apps are great, but somehow I find that games can't even keep up with what the iPhone has. Even a simple game like Flight Control seems too difficult to make on Android. The clones we have are pretty ugly IMO. It's like somehow all the graphics just go to shit on Android. Kinda disappointing.

I somehow feel that now that we've hit 50k apps, that even the iPhone at 50k apps was more mature back then in terms of app content. That was my point about the App store having 50k apps long time ago. Somehow the UI is just clean on the iPhone. Case in point, look at the unit converters. ConvertBot which is freaking old looks nice on the iPhone. Why can't we get something that nice on Android?

Yes functionality over form, but I think the two should go hand in hand.

Android doesn't have anything that comes close to Beejive.... =[ But I guess Meebo and Ebuddy aren't that far behind.

And the Facebook app? LOL. What a joke.

 

[dwell]

App Store: Open 23 months with 185k apps.
Android Market: Open 19.5 months with 50k apps.

iPhone users are the most willing to pay for some of their apps (57&#37, followed by BlackBerry users (33%). Android users are the least likely to be interested in paid apps (16%).

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/iphone_users_more_willing_to_pay_for_apps_-_but_do.php

You were asking for it, Deeko.

 

[dguy6789]

Android Market spent most of its time dormant because prior to the Droid there weren't really any completely amazing phones for it. Ever since Droid has launched, Android Market has been growing faster than the Apple app store. If Droid and similar phones that were hands down better than the iPhone had been out for 19.5 months, Android Market would already have more apps than the Apple store.

 

[TheStu]

Android Market spent most of its time dormant because prior to the Droid there weren't really any completely amazing phones for it. Ever since Droid has launched, Android Market has been growing faster than the Apple app store. If Droid had been out for 19.5 months, Android Market would already have more apps than the Apple store.

That statement is pure speculation and is unsupportable. If the Droid had been around for 19.5 months then it is just as likely that Apple would have stepped up their game and release either newer, more powerful handsets than what they have now, or updated the OS faster. We cannot possibly know what the market would be like given the supposition that the Droid came out a year before it did (and assuming that it had Android 2.0).

I agree with the sentiment that the App Store seems to have a higher percentage of better polished apps based on my experience with my friend's Droid. However, a stronger Android presence in the marketplace is good for Apple, Microsoft and RIM, almost certainly not Palm though.

I don't understand why people get so crazy anti-Apple. They are not the Devil, they are not going to come into your home and force you to use OS X and an iPhone. There are people like the iPhone, deal with it. There are people that don't like Android, deal with it.

 

[Deeko]

App Store: Open 23 months with 185k apps.
Android Market: Open 19.5 months with 50k apps.

iPhone users are the most willing to pay for some of their apps (57%), followed by BlackBerry users (33%). Android users are the least likely to be interested in paid apps (16%).

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/iphone_users_more_willing_to_pay_for_apps_-_but_do.php

You were asking for it, Deeko.

Asking for what? Until Droid came out in November 2009 - ya know, about 6 months ago - the number of installed Android units was very low. Of course the number of apps was lower for that first year. Hey - how many apps did the iPhone have in its first year? The number of apps has gone from 10k to 50k in the period since then. However, I know you hate looking at current trends - you like looking at numbers from the past that are entirely irrelevant to today.

Anyway, I don't know why you're posting those % numbers again because this thread entirely proves wrong what you were trying to say with those earlier. You claimed Android was having trouble getting developers for apps because Android users aren't as willing to pay for them...and yet here we are, with raw data showing Android apps on a strong upward swing over the past six months.

Who needs meaningful facts when you can post irrelevant gibberish?

 

[Deeko]

I don't understand why people get so crazy anti-Apple. They are not the Devil, they are not going to come into your home and force you to use OS X and an iPhone. There are people like the iPhone, deal with it. There are people that don't like Android, deal with it.

Trolls like Chris greatly increase anti-Apple sentiment, you must understand. He comes into any thread that could even be remotely related to Apple and posts inflammatory nonsense. At least guys like Quebert maintain consistent stances - Chris changes the core of his arguments depending on the flavor of the thread.

 

[dguy6789]

If by step up their game you mean sue HTC, add multitasking, and fake a leak of the next iphone.

 

[dwell]

Of course the number of apps was lower for that first year. Hey - how many apps did the iPhone have in its first year?

App Store hit 50k in 11 months. It took Android 19.5 months to hit that. But it's ok if you want to pretend Android didn't really launch until the Droid whilst ignoring the iPhone had a slow start too.

Anyway, I don't know why you're posting those % numbers again because this thread entirely proves wrong what you were trying to say with those earlier. You claimed Android was having trouble getting developers for apps because Android users aren't as willing to pay for them...and yet here we are, with raw data showing Android apps on a strong upward swing over the past six months.

They are getting far less developers than the App Store and even worse, less profits for developers which equates to less good apps long term.

 

[Deeko]

There's that argument-changing style we've all come to adore.

You've pointed out oh-so-many times that people don't want to develop for Android because there's less users. Therefore...if the Android user base started slow, and started dramatically started increasing 6 months ago with the release of the Droid...and the number of apps in the market is following a similar trend....well, aren't there any conclusions you could draw there? Like that now that there's a much larger (and ever increasing) number of Android phones, that the number of apps will continue to increase?

No....we'd hate to come to logical conclusions like that. That wouldn't make sense! Nor would pointing out that the current rate of 9000+ new apps/month is signficantly higher than the overall average of 2,500. No....none of those things are indicative of an upward trend in Android popularity, amongst both users and developers. That's just crazy talk! Devs don't want to work on Android!

(For what its worth I asked how many apps there were on the iPhone in the first year and you did not answer. There was no app store when it first came out. Which means when it was released, they already had a signficant user base, and thus higher initial developer interest. Again though....who wants to let meaningful facts into a discussion?)

You are grasping at straws here and you know it. Don't you have a bridge to slink under?

 

[Spoooon]

What's wrong with Flight Director?

 

[dwell]

You've pointed out oh-so-many times that people don't want to develop for Android because there's less users.

Less users, confusing app store experience, fragmented software platform, fragmented hardware platform, easy piracy, audience less likely to purchase apps. Take your pick.

Like that now that there's a much larger (and ever increasing) number of Android phones, that the number of apps will continue to increase?

Sure. Why not? Apple's not slowing down though and has an enormous head start and has a better platform, brand, marketing, etc. Apple will always beat Android. Quote me on that.

 

[Deeko]

Less users, confusing app store experience, fragmented software platform, fragmented hardware platform, easy piracy, audience less likely to purchase apps. Take your pick.



Sure. Why not? Apple's not slowing down though and has an enormous head start and has a better platform, brand, marketing, etc. Apple will always beat Android. Quote me on that.

So you continue to claim that devs don't want to develop for Android for a myriad of reasons, despite irrefutable proof that they are doing it. Classic, chris, classic. Your feelings on whether or not people "want" to work on it is worthless when the facts say they're still developing the apps. I doubt game devs wanted to optimize for the Emotion Engine either, but they still did it.

Where did I say Android would have more apps? Come on sport - find the quote. There's that wonderful "first or last" mentality that would make a high Reese Bobby proud. Except you only stick to it when it suits your current argument. Cute.

 

[TheStu]

If by step up their game you mean sue HTC, add multitasking, and fake a leak of the next iphone.

I don't agree with Apple suing HTC, it seems overly personal, and US Patent Law is just a mess to my understanding. The addition of multitasking was something that was missing for a while and implementing it early would be something that they could have done had there been a potential rift in the space/time continuum that allowed the Droid to come out a year early. I don't think that they were holding it back just because, I think they honestly were finishing the polish on it. And I honestly doubt that Apple intentionally leaked the iPhone like that. In my opinion what happened was an honest mistake by the engineer that was compounded by it falling into some of the worst possible hands.


I like Gizmodo, I really do, but they do have a mean streak and buying the prototype without trying to get it back to Apple, and then exposing the name of the engineer was just low.

 

[QueBert]

App Store hit 50k in 11 months. It took Android 19.5 months to hit that. But it's ok if you want to pretend Android didn't really launch until the Droid whilst ignoring the iPhone had a slow start too.



They are getting far less developers than the App Store and even worse, less profits for developers which equates to less good apps long term.

QFT, it's amazing how it takes them damn near twice as long to pull off the same feat with MORE handsets on MORE carriers and all of a sudden they're already overtaking Apples App store. 50k is impressive no matter how you look at it, but honestly it's not close to what Apple did. I also agree with what DLeRium said. ConvertBot does everything the similar Android apps do. But looks 100 times better doing it. Basically the Apple Apps store has a lot of stupid apps, but many of them look great. While the Android has a lot of stupid apps that look like total ass. The argument that the Android Marketplace didn't take off until the Droid came out is retarded, it still took them over 19 months to hit a number Apple did in 11. And as previously stated the Apple store had a sloooooow start too.

 

[Bateluer]

Its very impressive. In November 2009, Android Market had around 10,000 apps, and between November 09 and April 2010, its grown 5x. Not too shabby at all. And with Android handsets on all carriers, across all pricing segments, and with the Android OS and hardware improving with every release, its easy to see while Apple is sweating under their collar. Panicking, it seems.

I can't wait for Koush to start using the Froyo code base in his ROM, that's going to be sweet.

 

[tcsenter]

Well this is a bit like Windows...

"100,000 apps!" (but only 500 of them that are truly worth a shit)

Quality v. quantity

 

[Pliablemoose]

Meh, the Android market is a mess, and of all companies I would expect Google to have a decent search function, as it stands, it's pretty lame...

 

[GaryJohnson]

Well this is a bit like Windows...

"100,000 apps!" (but only 500 of them that are truly worth a shit)

Quality v. quantity

500? try 50.

 

[Deeko]

QFT, it's amazing how it takes them damn near twice as long to pull off the same feat with MORE handsets on MORE carriers and all of a sudden they're already overtaking Apples App store. 50k is impressive no matter how you look at it, but honestly it's not close to what Apple did. I also agree with what DLeRium said. ConvertBot does everything the similar Android apps do. But looks 100 times better doing it. Basically the Apple Apps store has a lot of stupid apps, but many of them look great. While the Android has a lot of stupid apps that look like total ass. The argument that the Android Marketplace didn't take off until the Droid came out is retarded, it still took them over 19 months to hit a number Apple did in 11. And as previously stated the Apple store had a sloooooow start too.

No one here said they're overtaking the app store. Find where that was said. I know for a fact I never said it and that its not in this thread. I'll wait.

In the meantime, I'll try to explain something to you. Something very simple.

It makes perfect sense that the Android Market didn't take off until the Droid launched. For the same exact reason that Apple's faster start was largely due to the fact that the App Store was released a full year after the iPhone. As the Apple Troll fan club keeps shouting - developers go where the money is. Where the users are. So whereas the App Store was released to a market with a lot of existing iPhones, along with the 3G selling even more, the Android Market was released to a market with 0 Android phones, and the not-so-popular G1 trickling to the masses.

Its not hard to understand why the market took off the past six months. Nor is it hard to understand that with Android's large and ever growing install base, that this torrid pace is likely to keep up.

I'm not saying they'll have more apps than the Apple app store. What the hell does that matter? If a year from now, Android has 150k apps and the App Store has 250....so what? Apple started the "there's an app for that" campaign when there were what....75k apps? If that? Its not like Android users won't have options with their "pathetic" selection of 150k apps.

As you stated, Quebert - 50k is impressive no matter how you look at it. Android is doing well and doing better by the day. They don't have to equal every feat the iPhone did along the way to be a success.

 

[theeedude]

The whole App war is stupid. It's all about the web 2.0 cloud, not downloading apps. Apple is missing Flash 10.1, which Android is going to have. That means a lot of web based Flash Apps have no equivalent on iPhone at all. Also, adult themed apps won't have Apple equivalent at all. Apps that Apple rejects for business reasons because they offer alternatives to their products could also exist for Android, but iPhone users will never get them. So while the popular App Store apps will have an Android equivalents, some popular Android Apps and Flash will have NO Apple equivalent. Instead Apple will have extra 100K Apps that noone gives a fvkc about in the App store, whooptee doo.
It's like this ConvertBot thing. It's $2, when you can just go to google and type "convert x m to inches" and it will convert it for you for free. No need to pay, install anything, click around, rotate wheels, etc, it's all in the cloud. Just Google it on any device.

 

[Anubis]

App Store: Open 23 months with 185k apps.
Android Market: Open 19.5 months with 50k apps.

iPhone users are the most willing to pay for some of their apps (57%), followed by BlackBerry users (33%). Android users are the least likely to be interested in paid apps (16%).

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/iphone_users_more_willing_to_pay_for_apps_-_but_do.php

You were asking for it, Deeko.

all that number means is that there are over 3 times as many useless shitty aps for the iphone as the droid

 

[tatteredpotato]

I personally think that the Android platform is better for developers since there isn't that godforsaken approval process. I realize that Android does have some sort of approval process, however it isn't near the mystery that Apple provides.

As for the numbers, to be fair you really need to normalize the App Stores numbers over the entire lifetime of the platform.

 

[zerocool84]

I personally think that the Android platform is better for developers since there isn't that godforsaken approval process. I realize that Android does have some sort of approval process, however it isn't near the mystery that Apple provides.

Yep Steve Jobs denies whatever he doesn't like. Even stupid harmless political cartoons. They tell people how and what to do with their devices and I'd rather not support a company like that.