The Google machine keeps rolling at an unstoppable pace and for the first time the Android Market now offers more free applications for download that Apple's App Store at 134,342 compared with 121,845 respectively.

This is great news for Google who released Android very much as the underdog to Cupertino's shiny fruit maker. Android developers might not be as enamored however as the number of paid apps is about one third of the total number of paid apps on the Apple Store.

Distimo, the analytics firm predict that in five months, the Android market will be the largest store in terms of number of applications, followed by the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPad, Windows Phone Marketplace, BlackBerry App World and Nokia Ovi Store. This obviously is only accurate if the growth remains as it is now.

While many people have been slagging Microsoft for the failure of their Windows Phone 7, it appears that they will pass the Nokia Ovi Store and BlackBerry App World before they even get to their first birthday.

Growth of applications picked up in March. Google's Android market passed 200,000 applications in December 2010 and Apple's App Store passed the 300,000 applications mark in September 2010.

KitGuru says: Android is still on track to dominate, in a years time it will be interesting to see how far the platform has developed.

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