News

Windows Phone Marketplace hits 30,000 apps in 10 months

Growing at almost twice the rate of Android Market

Windows Phone Marketplace hits 30,000 apps in 10 months
While Microsoft's marketplace might not be growing at quite the rate of the App Store, it is outperforming the early days of Android Market.

In its first 10 months, it has a total of 30,000 apps from more than 8,000 developers.

By comparison, Google's store took 17 months to reach the same milestone, adding on average around 1,765 new apps a month.

It doesn't take a genius to work out Windows Phone Marketplace's monthly average is almost twice that rate.

But considering Windows Phone has a far smaller userbase than Android enjoyed at the same time – the OS has a 2 percent share of the US market, according to Millennial Media – the fact it boasts comparatively stronger support from developers suggests the industry expects big things from Microsoft's OS in future.

Mighty Mango

The figures, which come from thirdparty tracking site WindowsPhoneappList rather than Microsoft itself, show that 17 percent of all the apps on the platform are games - around 5,000.



Almost half – 47 percent – of the apps are free, with 20 percent sporting the marketplace's free trial option.

The launch of new OS update Mango - due this autumn, including on Nokia's first Windows device - is expected to act as a trigger for consumer take up, adding HTML5 support, multitasking, and an overhaul to communications tools.

[source: Windowsphoneapplist]

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