Growing almost in the background, Samsung has announced its marketplace primary pitched at bada (but also including the original Windows Mobile OS) – Samsung Apps – has just surpassed 100 million downloads.

The benchmark comes just over three months since the platform passed the 50 million download mark, with users able to choose from a library that's now 13,000 apps strong.

That puts it ahead of the likes of Palm's App Catalog and Windows Phone Marketplace.

Bada cha-ching

"We are anticipating that Samsung Apps will show a rapid growth in 2011, especially with a variety of the upcoming bada device line-up," said senior VP of Samsung's media solutions centre, Kang-Hyun Kwon.

"Through consistent service improvement and high-quality app selections, we will continue to offer optimised application services for Samsung smartphones."

Samsung claims games have been some of the top performing apps – EA's Need for Speed: Shift and Gameloft's Asphalt 5 both of note, being available for free for periods of time – with downloads continuing to be driven by sales of the Samsung Wave and Wave II devices.

Going global

Samsung Apps is now available in 120 countries around the world, though 40 percent of all downloads are made in France, Germany and Spain.

The firm has alos revealed that, to celebrate the news, every user who downloads an app will be entered into a weekly competition to win USB sticks, vouchers, or – most interestingly – either a Galaxy Tab or Galaxy Player, both of which run Android.

You can see more on Samsung Apps here.