As part of its “Mobile Applications Market Data,” ABI Research issued a press released on the progress of mobile app downloads. According to the research company, nearly 7.9 billion apps have been downloaded from mobile app stores, 5.6 billion of which from Apple’s AppStore.
However with the rise of other platforms (namely Android) and third-party app stores, Apple is set to “face more intensive competition in 2011.”
Let’s look at the AppStore competition:
- Android Market now counts more than 130,000 apps in 48 countries and is growing at a faster pace than the AppStore.
- RIM’s BlackBerry App World is available in over 100 markets, counting more than 10,000 apps.
- Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 Marketplace has also crossed the 10,000 apps milestone.
- And there are other players like Nokia’s Ovi Store, Palm/HP’s webOS App Planet, GetJar, third-party Android app stores (Amazon above all), as well as a number carrier-operated services.
So what the 2011 brings? More apps, continued rise of Android and Windows Phone 7 emerging as a serious contender in the market with the help of Nokia. HP will give its best to bring webOS to the mainstream consumer and by bundling it with its laptops, they may actually have a chance. It will be interesting to watch how the market moves. We’ll be there to cover every tiny detail, have no doubts about it. 😉