Just a few days back, one of the top developers for the Android platform had revealed just how poor the Android Market’s returns are. He contrasted the estimated $3500 a day that an iPhone developer with an app on the number 5 position would earn, to his own meager earnings averaging less than $75!
He pointed our many of the flaws in the market which he believed could be responsible for it’s poor Among his concerns were the lack of screen shots, short descriptions, and the favoring of free apps. Those concerns will soon be gone!
With the Android 1.6 update, the new marketplace will be unveiled, which will fix these problems and more. The update will be support for screenshots, icons, and better descriptions.
New categorizations of application will also be supported sports, health, themes, and comics. Paid applications too seem to be better showcased along with free applications.
Hopefully Android will soon have a healthy ecosystem of free and paid apps. With market numbers this low it is unlikely people will consider it a serious platform for commercial applications.
Watch a video showing some of the new features in the Android Market of Android 1.6: