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Google I/O 2012: Google Play hits 600,000 apps

More than 20 billion app installs to date

Google I/O 2012: Google Play hits 600,000 apps
Google Play is going from strength to strength according to numbers detailed at the firm's I/O conference in San Francisco.

There are now more than 600,000 apps available on Google Play – formally known as Android Market – up from 200,000 at Google I/O 2011.

Billions and billions

Of those apps, 1.5 billion are installed on the 400 million devices running Android every month.

In all, 20 billion apps have been installed on devices during Google Play's lifetime.

Interestingly, Google claims that more than 50 percent of the app revenue generated on the marketplace comes from in-app billing – a figure that explains why Google is launching a subscription model to aid further monetisation.

Finally, Google is launching a new smart app updates feature.

That means only the parts of the APK that have changed will be downloaded, rather than the app in full.

With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.