Android Market Experiencing Exponential Growth

Will such rapid growth create problems for Google? For Developers?

While there are new estimates that the market has collected more than 20,000 apps in five months, Google says the number is closer to 16,000. Whatever the number of Android Apps, the market is clearly booming.

The Android Market, the online store for the platform's mobile applications, is still only about 20 percent the size of the industry leader, Apple's App Store. Apple's and Google's stores are both under two years old, although Apple's is older by a few months.

Android Market to Triple in Size in 1 Year

But even at the lower number from Google, the market's estimated current number of apps in the market is a substantial increase from the 12,000 apps reported in November.

Some industry observers are predicting the market will reach about 50,000 apps next year, while Apple's App Store hits about 300,000. Increasingly, mobile platforms are becoming vehicles for applications, as computers have long been, and the number and kinds of apps become key selling points for businesses as well as consumers.

The 3rd party developers who are creating the applications are driven by the growth in the number of devices, as well as by the tools and capabilities for the Android platform.

The recent launch of Motorola's Droid through Verizon Wireless, for instance, has resulted in favorable reviews, high visibility for Android, and expectations of selling a million units by the end of this year. Other Android-based models have also been released, such as the HTC Hero, and at least a dozen additional models are expected within a few months.

Citizens of the World are clammering to get their hands on one of these hot new Android devices. Android smartphones just arrived in India and are expected to be a huge hit there, unlike the iPhone thingy.