If it's a busy time for app stores, it's an even busiest time for app store analytics companies.

One such is Distimo. Unlike rivals such as Flurry, which focus specific on apps - requiring code integration - Distimo goes straight to the app stores to get its core data.

Currently handling the Apple App Store, Mac App Store, BlackBerry App World, Android Market, Nokia Ovi Store, Windows Phone Marketplace, Amazon Appstore for Android and GetJar, its servers are constantly pinging the different country markets, generating vast amount of data concerning chart and sales rankings.

Hitting the charts

According to CEO Vincent Hoogsteder, however, the special sauce is the way Distimo combines this relative data with absolute download and revenue figures from developers and publishers who are using the service: anonymised, of course.

The result is the company can provide great market intelligence - a free service for developers that it's building out with its Distimo Monitor tool.

It's free because Distimo makes its money selling reports to OEMs and operators so they can benchmark the performance of their app stores; also advising what games and apps they should be stocking.

Think better, sell better

"Our goal is to help developers monetise better," Hoogsteder states. "Using Monitor, you can see what your competition is doing; what countries you could be selling better in."

Still, such is the speed of change in the ecosystem, he says sometimes the data is surprising for Distimo too.

"It's hard to get a sense of what's going on around you. When downloads in China took off like a maniac, it was so much, we had to check our data six times," he reveals.

Such speed of change impacts Distimo. As an app store-focused business, the increasing importance of alternative monetisation methods, including advertising, means this is an area it's looking to get a firm grip on over the coming months.

"Our plan is to be able to advise developers what ad networks they should be using in which territories," he says.

Spreading the net

As for wider industry trends, Hoogsteder reckons Windows Phone is now seeing good traction with developers, while TV app stores are an area Distimo is keeping its eye on.

Perhaps the most interesting sector, however, is Android, where the official Market is being challenged by operators' stores, such as those from Vodafone and Verizon, while the likes of GetJar and Amazon's Appstore for Android creates additional channels for content.

And, of course, additional reasons for developers to seek Distimo's advice.

You can find out more about Distimo's services via its website.