The Apple App Store has just hit the 300,000 mark, with approximately 35,000 apps optimized for the iPad. Meanwhile, Google just announced that the Android app store now has 100,000 apps. According to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, approximately 200,000 Android devices are activated each day; Steve Jobs noted that Apple is activating between 275,000 and 300,000 iOS devices per day. Of course, iOS devices include not just the iPhone but also the iPad, which is enjoying huge sales figures. Meanwhile, the first Android-based tablets will hit the marketplace in the next couple of months, at which time a comparison of activated devices will become more relevant.
What’s is relevant is that Apple CEO Steve Jobs felt compelled to make a surprise appearance on Apple’s quarterly earnings call. During the call, Jobs made a point of comparing Android negatively with iOS. He said that because there is more than one Android app store, users have to search for the app they want and developers have to work with too many app stores. “This is going to be a mess for both users and developers,” he said. “We believe integrated will trump fragmented every time.” Jobs also said that 7in screens are “DOA,” referring to the hotly anticipated Samsung GalaxyTab and its 7in screen — and apparently squashing rumors that Apple is working on a new 7in-screen device. Apple sold 14.1 million iPhones during the quarter, breaking a previous record of 88.75 million.
Although Android smart phones are currently about 13 percent of the marketplace, they are gaining share fairly rapidly. Some mobile analysts have stated that ultimately Android will enjoy the lion’s share of the smart phone market, with the Apple iOS leveling out at approximately 20 percent of the marketplace.
