Android Market tripled in size to 150 000 apps for 9 months, says Eric Schmidt, quality and developers in focus

Depending on where you get your stats from, Android Market has anywhere between 150 000 - 200 000 apps. Google's Eric Schmidt claimed the low end of that range yesterday at his keynote speech - 150 000, and it may be safer to stick with his story, the guy just seems so careful not to blow it out of proportion.

What's more astonishing, though, is the astronomical pace at which apps are created. In April last year we wrote that the Android platform has hit 50 000, and it has obviously at least tripled that amount since. Given the pace of new Android activations (Google claimed 300 000 a day on Tuesday), and the advent of Android tablets, dual-core or not, that amount is poised to continue growing with the same breakneck pace.

Google has one huge challenge in front of it, though - monetization. Most developers prefer to make quality apps for iOS, which should now stand at about 350 000 apps strong, because they get greater adoption rates, and clearly make money.

Eric Schmidt said that this is the next thing Google is focusing on - finding ancillary ways for developers to monetize their efforts, so as they make quality apps, instead of flooding Android Market with quickly scribbled free apps to test the water.

via AndroidCentral