Following on from its recent deal with middleware provide Ideaworks Labs to make developing games for its bada OS easier, Samsung has been bigging up the current growth of content on Samsung Apps.

Launched in September 2009, Samsung Apps is both an on-device and web store for apps. Much like Apple's iTunes, it also has a PC-based client, called Kies, for downloading and syncing.

In terms of available apps, Samsung says the German site has doubled in size since launch, while the UK, French and Italian stores have tripled.

Highlighted apps include games such as Gameloft's H.A.W.X., Com2uS's Homerun 3D Battle, EA Mobile's Need for Speed Shift and Namco Bandai's Pac-Man Championship Edition.

Gonna be big

Supporting Samsung's Omnia, Omnia HD, Omnia II, OmniaLITE and Wave (the first bada phone) devices, the store is also available in the Netherlands, Turkey, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Singapore, Hong Kong and Russia.

This will expand massively as the Wave is launched, gaining an additional 80 countries and 100 carriers globally over the coming months.

"Launching the application store has enabled Samsung to increase smartphone sales, while at the same time add value for our existing customer base," said Kanghyun Kwon, vice president, Media Solutions Center, Samsung Electronics.

"Samsung Apps allows users to discover new apps, which are consistently making our smartphones more useful, productive and entertaining."

Samsung has launched a dedicated Facebook fan page too where customers will be able to get information on the latest promotions.