IDC predicts 300,000 apps in Apple's App store next year as long awaited tablet is finally launched?

The growth in the number of apps in the Apple App Store has been nothing short of incredible. From 10,000 apps to browse through in November of last year, the total reached 100,000 just a year later. From the very start, it took only 18 months for Apple to  hit the six-figure mark and this works out to an annual growth rate of 900% according to research firm IDC. By the end of 2010, 300,000 apps are expected to be offered at the App Store.

IDC also expects the number of mobile devices accessing the internet to get closer to the number of PC's being used by the end of 2010. With 1.3 million PC's in operation expected at the end of 2010, the number of mobile devices will grow to 1 million. It won't be too long before more people are surfing the web from a mobile device than from a desktop machine as the growth in smartphones is running 2 and a half times that of desktop computers.

In a video that came with thereport, IDC Chief Analyst Frank Gens said, "It will be a watershed year for the ascension of mobile devices: Forthe first time, over 1 billion such devices will access the Internet. Smartphones will become strategic platforms for commercial andenterprise developers, with the number of iPhone apps tripling, andAndroid apps quintupling. And we expect to finally see Apple introducethe 'iPad.'" IDC expects the Apple tablet to appear in 2010 with an 8 to 10 inch touchscreen that will be more iPod touch than a Mac. The research firm expects the device to be used for watching movies, reading newspapers and for surfing the web. Gens expects the iPad to take business away from the Kindle reader. As for the tablet, questions remain as to how users will pay for data. IDC says, "One big question for 2010 is which way Apple will go with 3Gconnectivity for the iPad -- private labeling a wireless carrier'snetwork as 'AppleNet' or simply merchandising carriers' wirelesssubscriptions through the iTunes store," the report said. Whichever way Apple decides to go, the Cupertino based firm is expected to see competition  from Microsoft. The latter firm is expected to launch a tablet that has been leaked with the code named "Courier", pictures of which were leaked back in September. The Redmond based firm has not confirmed the authenticity of the pictures or the expected launch.

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source: AppleInsider