Ice Cream Sandwich Release Date: Android Market Reaches 500,000 Apps

The Android market has roughly 500,000 apps, according to PCMag.

The technology website also said Apple’s App Store has about 100,000 more apps than Android’s market, despite Google’s “anything goes” policy when it comes to developer’s application submission guidelines.

Apple has a more strict policy on its approval process before the company decides to host the app within its store. However, Google has reached a milestone, and it currently dominates the mobile device market in terms of operating system.

Apps are constantly being removed and added by developers, so it is possible that Google’s milestone can shrink just as fast as it grew. Google is allowing developers to create apps to be run on its upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, though.

Google’s new operating system will be available in November on the Galaxy Nexus smartphone, according to announcement made by the company at the “Mobile Unpacked” event.

Ice Cream Sandwich, also known as Android 4.0, will include upgraded versions of Gmail, updated contacts, and an improved notification center.

Some of its new capabilities also include Android Beam, which allows users to transfer media from smartphone to smartphone by simply touching the devices together.

Its new graphic foundation, Roboto, also displayed at the recent event, contains more detail and accuracy than any other Android operating system.

Ice Cream Sandwich on the Galaxy Nexus will also feature facial recognition to unlock the device.

The Galaxy Nexus will be the first smartphone officially powered by the Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.