Android Market might be on course to pass the App Store in terms of monthly downloads by June 2012, but according to research2guidance, many of those apps go on to be pulled from the marketplace altogether.

Indeed, the firms claims there is a marked discrepancy between the number of apps submitted and later removed from Google's Android Market than on Apple's App Store.

Rigidity as standard

According to the company's research, 34 percent of apps submitted to Android Market before September 2011 were later removed.

The App Store's tally came in somewhat below that figure, with 24 percent of apps pulled at a later date.

The firm claims one of the possible reasons for this difference is "the more rigid application submission requirements [on iOS] prevent developers from publishing multiple trial or low quality applications whereas publishers in the Android Market place a lot of market testing, trials, demo and malware content."

In short, the loose nature of Android means scores of apps go live before they're checked, pulled from sale later on when they're deemed unsuitable for whatever reason.

Average joe

The report also highlights how Apple and Google's differing business models may impact on the two marketplaces.

"Over 78 percent of the apps removed from the Android Market were free, which could mean that publishers put more effort into the applications they place with the pay-per-download business model, thus ensuring that it is kept longer in store."

Other figures released by the firm include the total number of apps available on each platform.

The App Store - as of the end of September - holds 459,589, whereas Android Market plays hots to 319,161.

Android developers do have a higher average multiple app total than those working on iOS, however. The average Android developer has published 6 apps on the platform, whereas on iOS the average figure is just over 4 apps.

[source: research2guidance]