10 billion apps have been downloaded from Android Market

MOBILE SOFTWARE HOUSE Google has proudly announced that ten billion apps have been downloaded from its Android Market.

The big number was hit this weekend, according to a blog post from the firm, and sees it reach a growth rate of one billion app downloads a month.

"One billion is a pretty big number by any measurement. However, when it's describing the speed at which something is growing, it's simply amazing," said Eric Chu, Google's director of Android developer ecosystem.

"This past weekend, thanks to Android users around the world, Android Market exceeded 10 billion app downloads-with a growth rate of one billion app downloads per month. We can't wait to see where this accelerating growth takes us in 2012."

By way of celebration Google has chopped the prices on some of the applications in the store, with a little help from the firms that develop them, and from today anyone that has not already can download titles including Asphalt 6 HD, Color & Draw for Kids, Endomondo Sports Tracker Pro, Fieldrunners HD, Great Little War Game, Minecraft, Paper Camera, Sketchbook Mobile, Soundhound Infinity and Swiftkey X for the sort of pennies you find down the backs of sofas.

"None of these apps would have existed if it weren't for the developers who created them. Every day, these developers continue to push the limits on what's possible and delight us in the process. For that, we thank them," added Chu.

"Please join us in this 10-day celebration and check in every day to see what new apps our developer partners are making available on Android Market-for only a dime."

The Android market, which has been live for around two years, is slowly catching up to Apple's Itunes, which in July boasted about 15 billion downloads. µ