With Sprint poised to launch its first Android-powered smartphone, the HTC Hero [1], next month, Google announced it [2]will release a series of new updates for its Android Market application storefront. Most notably, Android Market for Android 1.6 will enable developers to provide screenshots, promotional icons and more detailed descriptions to more effectively market their applications and games. In addition, Google will introduce four new Android app sub-categories: Sports, health, themes and comics. Android Market also will extend seller support for developers in Italy.

While half of iPhone users and 40 percent of iPod Touch owners download one or more premium applications each month, just 19 percent of Android smartphone users (about 5 million consumers) purchase paid apps according to mobile advertising network AdMob's July 2009 Mobile Metrics Report [3]. AdMob reports that iPhone and iPod touch apps generate a combined $198 million revenues each month, and Android Market yields just $5 million monthly.

The challenges of marketing premium apps in Android Market was the subject of a much-discussed [4] blog entry [5] posted by Android developer Larva Labs' co-founder Matt Hall, who admits the firm's Android app revenues averaged just $62.39 per day in August. The absence of app screenshots is one of the fundamental Android Market flaws cited by Hall, who also blames failed and stalled downloads, credit card verification delays and the difficulty of finding premium apps for the virtual storefront's struggles.

For more on the Android Market improvements:
- read this Android Developers Blog entry [6]
- and check out this video [7]