Number of Android Apps Approaching Total iOS App Inventory

[Michael Essany]

Google is confirming today that Android apps are catching up to iOS apps in terms of quantity now available for download. As of this writing, Android apps now total close to 700,000, which is up from 675,000 apps just one month ago.

The narrowing gap between Android and iOS app inventories was confirmed this week by Google to Shara Tibken from CNET. Just a few weeks ago, Apple similarly confirmed the availability of 700,000 apps in its App Store. And based on the observed momentum of the Android platform today, Android may soon overtake Apple in total available apps.

"The number of apps offered for an operating system is an important factor for driving user adoption," Tibken observes. "Apple had long led the rest of the market, but Google had been quickly catch up. By comparison, Microsoft said yesterday that it now has 120,000 apps for it Windows Phone OS. That's a pretty big figure for the company but it significantly lags Android and iOS."

So should Apple be nervous about Android gaining steam? According to some Android critics, quality still matters more than quantity. And no one will tell you faster than an Apple fan that the App Store still has more quality apps than its Android counterpart.

Source: CNET

[fanboyfanboy]

I'm glad that apple an android apps are coming to close contact. I hate when someone on android doesn't have an app that the iPhone does and you try contacting them or playing against them thru the app, that being said, I just want to know what figures they are using. Are thy counting total apps, or only verified. Seeing as you can add things to the market without being verified

[brian8534]

I consider quality rather than quantity............

[morbidpete]

I consider quality rather than quantity............

This!

[indyracer05]

I consider quality rather than quantity............

Agree 100%!

[Breezer23]

There are a lot of terrible apps on iOS as well however due to the nature of an open Market you do get some garbage apps. Having said that, they are ranked by popularity, don't download obscure apps and you won't run into that issue.

[scottjl]

How many of them are fart apps???? lol. that's what they always knocked the iTunes store on.

[Airwaves182]

I consider quality rather than quantity............

Windows phone 8

[Tperry]

I consider quality rather than quantity............

Yeah, like the multitude of fart apps available in a certain store.

How many of them are fart apps???? lol. that's what they always knocked the iTunes store on.

Actually very few. If you are REALLY interested you can visit the Play Store from your PC and browse to see what they consist of.

[gehjl]

I consider quality rather than quantity............

I suppose there is fact and recent evidence to this argument right?

Go ahead and praise your prettier apps, I'd rather have a basic simple looking app that switches my ring style based on my location, be able to download widgets, keyboards, dialers, file management apps, and home launchers.

[Carvensno]

Also alot of those apps on the Google store are just mods apps, add sounds profiles, themes, and etc.... I don't consider those real apps, those are just mods. Take those outta play and see what the number is then??? LOL :P

[feidhlim1986]

I consider quality rather than quantity............

Yeah cos the iOS App Store is chock full of more quality than the Android App Store...
Almost every "quality" app on iOS is available for Android. So both stores have the same quality.

[scroogelives]

I consider quality rather than quantity............

Yeah and how many in android market place are real apps! I know every now and again one slips through apples fingers but last time I had droid phone it was often hard to tell which was a real app!

[MetallicaFan1991]

There is still a HIGHER percentage of crappy apps in Google Play compared to App Store and half the apps in Play barely work on the 80% of Android devices sold and most likely have issues fitting the various Android's with various screen sizes and hardware compatibility.

Quality over quantity.

[gehjl]

There is still a HIGHER percentage of crappy apps in Google Play compared to App Store and half the apps in Play barely work on the 80% of Android devices sold and most likely have issues fitting the various Android's with various screen sizes and hardware compatibility.

Quality over quantity.

What's your source? I just want to make sure, since 63% of statistics are made up.

[bigboyz]

Quality over quantity any day of the week as was mentioned. Total apps? Nice figures yes but does it really matter when a lot of droid users complain about the quality of the apps they have to choose from? Not to say all iOS apps are awesome because they are not. What i do know is that they go through a stringent process to determine if they are eligible. A process androids do not go through. Has anyone made a device purchase based on a single app?? Do tell...:]

[ohthatguyagain]

Tibkin from CNET is forgetting that at some point (probably the hundreds of thousands mark) the quantity of apps available is completely moot.

Do you know anyone who can say they've looked through all 700,000 apps? ... Come on, it's like McDonald's hamburger count. "Oh yay, another 5 billion sold. So what. It's hamburgers."

[fleurya]

How many of them are fart apps???? lol. that's what they always knocked the iTunes store on.

For Android my answer to the "fart apps" comments is usually how many of the Android app are malware that will steal your info and try to take over your phone.

Or, how many of them are just poorly-written data/energy vampires that are constantly eating resources and data.

[thazsar]

I'm so nervous, now. Does this mean I'll be forced to buy Android if they top the App Store?

Ohhhhh, that's right - I don't care!

[barondebxl]

I consider quality rather than quantity............

Like a quality Ifart app? or a quality titanium backup app?