The mobile applications market exploded in 2010, with 7.9 billion downloaded in 2010, according to an ABI Research estimate. Apple’s iDevice ecosystem still dominates, with a cumulative 5.6 billion downloaded in 2010, with the remaining 2.3 billion downloaded by other operating systems. Apple is, however, expected to face stiff competition in 2011 from both Android Market (which is currently home to 130,000 apps in 48 countries) and RIM. ABI Research estimates the BlackBerry app downloads total more than 1 billion at the end of 2010.
ABI Research mobile marketing practice director Neil Strother also noted that more mobile network operators are mulling an entry into the mobile apps market, citing India’s Idea Cellular which just unveiled an Online Application Store in time for its 3G network launch. App store GetJar, which supports multiple platforms, also just raised $25 million to expand.