Android Market closing in on 5,000 applications

Google's Android Market now offers more than 4,900 applications for smartphones powered by the Android mobile operating system, according to the web services giant's vice president of engineering Vic Gundotra. Speaking Wednesday at Google's annual I/O developer event in San Francisco, Gundotra said Android users have downloaded an average of more than 40 applications per user, adding that Android smartphones are now second in the U.S. in mobile web browsing, behind Apple's iPhone. Of course, Android Market also trails far behind Apple's App Store in terms of application inventory--as of Thursday morning, the App Store offers close to 49,000 iPhone and iPod touch applications, according to analytics firm Mobclix.

Google software engineer Romain Guy followed Gundotra to confirm that the next version of the Android software will sport the codename Donut, adding that it will offer more powerful search functionality as well as a new API enabling text-to-speech services spanning multiple languages and accents.

Gundotra then returned to the I/O stage to announce that Google will accept submissions for its second Android Developer Challenge through August, adding that user votes will now count in the judging process. Google will name the winners of the competition this fall. Gundotra concluded the appearance by giving away a free HTC Magic (a.k.a. the G2) to all attendees, joking that he always wanted to have an "Oprah moment."

For more on Google's Android update:
- read this TechCrunch article

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