What Is An Android Marketplace?

On 28^th August 2008, Google announced an online software store called ‘Android marketplace’ for its Android devices. The software is preinstalled on most of the handsets. Through this online market, users can easily browse and download applications that are published by third-party developers.

The underlying vision of Google behind the creation of this online market is not only to attract users but also to entice skilled developers. This is the main reason word ‘market’ is used instead of ‘store’.

Comparison of Android Market with Apple’s App Store:

The fact is this that Android market is actually an answer to Apple’s app store. Recent figures indicate that Apple’s app store has crossed more than 15 billion downloads during 2011. In contrast to that, Android marketplace applications showed only 6 billion downloads.

Currently, the number of applications Apple offers is around 425,000 as compared to more than 200,000 Android applications. The statistics clearly states that Apple is in the limelight right now but this dominance is not going to last long.

Android has easily attracted users to its online application store since its introduction. It offers several distinctive services such as refund, porn content downloading, and access to applications which are not allowed otherwise. These services are not offered by Apple due to which increased number of users visit Android store.

What Is Offered In Android Market?

Android market is a place where you can easily buy or rent any content for your Android devices. The content may include books, applications and movies etc. The books and movies downloaded through this market can be used by their respective applications. The good thing about this store is that you can download movies even when you are not connected to the internet.

Initially when Google started this market, there were only 2,300 applications available for users. However, the number of applications reached 200,000 applications during May 2011.

Who Can Access This Market?

Google’s market for Android applications is open for all. Anyone can develop applications in this market. Once a developer is registered in the market, he/she has complete control over when and how the applications are available to users.

How One Can Access This Market?

The online market for Android applications can be accessed easily by following these simple steps:

Register: The process starts with the registration of an Android developer by filling a simple application form.

Upload: Once you have registered yourself, upload the content you would like to offer people.

Publish: Now publish the content after uploading. This will notify people about your application and allow them to download your application.

Availability of Marketplace:

This market was initially present only in the U.S. and UK. However, with the passage of time Google has increased its user availability. Now the market is available in the following countries.

• Australia
• Austria
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Japan

Smartphone users find it more convenient to use Android marketplace as compared to its competitor’s application store. So far, the number of applications Android offers is fewer than Apple’s store.  However, a recent study by research2guidance group has predicted that Android will soon surpass Apple in its size of applications the following year.