Could Apple Apps Reach 300K Next Year?

The findings from research firm IDC noted that many of the new mobile apps will come from household names -- well-known Global 2000 business and consumer brands. A big part of the surge, according to IDC, is that the total number of mobile devices connected to the Internet will almost surpass that of total worldwide PCs in 2010. The research firm reports 1.3 billion PCs can access the Internet currently, but indicated that smartphones are growing at a rate 2.5 times faster than PCs. So, with smartphones becoming more popular, an increasing number of developers will design apps for their use.

"[The] growth in mobile devices will ignite an explosion in mobile applications, with the number of iPhone apps tripling to 300,000 and Android apps surging by a factor of five or more," according to IDC. "This same phenomenon will also play out in the netbook market, where new software ecosystems will emerge to optimize the performance and usability of these popular devices."

IDC's report also predicted the long-awaited debut of the Apple tablet computer, which it referred to as the "iPad." The device is expected to employ touch-screen controls, resemble Apple's iTouch in usability and challenge the Amazon Kindle's leadership in the e-reader market.