Distimo: Majority of iPad apps are games

Less than a week after Apple introduced its iPad tablet device, the company's App Store already offers roughly 2,400 applications optimized exclusively for the unit, according to a new report issued by app store analytics firm Distimo. Games represent 35 percent of all iPad titles, followed by the Entertainment and Education categories; however, Distimo notes that games and entertainment apps are more popular on the iPhone than on the iPad--the two categories make up 70 percent of the most popular iPhone apps, compared to 40 percent on the iPad.

Another major difference: Premium applications represent 83 percent of all iPad apps, 10 percentage points higher than on the iPhone. Distimo reports the average price among iPad-exclusive apps is $3.61, compared to $3.55 for iPhone-compatible apps. Medical applications are the most expensive across both platforms, averaging $9.39 on the iPad and $10.73 on the iPhone. Education ($9.10), Healthcare & Fitness ($4.41), Music ($6.86) and Sports ($4.95) apps are all significantly more expensive on the iPad, but books are cheaper than their iPhone counterparts, which Distimo attributes to the iPad's iBookstore.

On Monday, Apple reported that iPad sales exceeded 300,000 units in the first weekend, adding that consumers have already downloaded more than a million applications and over 250,000 ebooks to the new device. "iPad users, on average, downloaded more than three apps and close to one book within hours of unpacking their new iPad," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a prepared statement.

At 2:00 PM EST today, Apple is expected to announce iPhone OS 4.0, the latest version of its mobile operating system, during a media event at its Cupertino, Calif. campus--insiders suggest the computing giant will also unveil a mobile advertising platform. Click here to check out all of our iPhone coverage. And for additional analysis and predictions on what industry watchers expect from Apple's media event, check out this FierceWireless sound-off feature.

For more on the iPad apps report:
- read this Distimo blog entry