Microsoft's Windows Store: 500 Apps Added Per Day

Microsoft's Windows Store is slowly growing in size. According to a recent report, the number of applications available has now surpassed the 20,000 mark.

Of those 20,000 available apps, about 18,000 (or 90 per cent) are free.

Of course, an inventory of 20,000 apps is still far short of the standard set by Google's Play store (600,000 apps) and the Apple Store (700,000 apps). But it's a start.

Windows Store's App Growth Rate: 500 New Apps Per Day

Microsoft's Windows Store app tally has recently begun mounting at an impressive rate. In early October critics raised concerns about the fact that Windows Store had just 2,000 apps on tap. (Source: pcworld.com)

Since that time, developers have been releasing literally hundreds of new apps per day. According to The Next Web blog, Windows Store currently makes available approximately 500 new apps each and every day.

At that rate, Microsoft would reach a total of 40,000 apps by the end of calendar 2012.

But Microsoft says it won't be satisfied with that total. The company's goal is to reach 100,000 applications within 90 days of Windows 8's October 26 launch.

To meet that goal, the number of apps added to Windows Store each day will need to increase to at least 1,000.

Windows Store Concerns Contributed to Sinofsky Departure: Report

Overall, the pressure to expand Windows Store's app offerings appears to be placing enormous pressure on Microsoft and its associated app developers.

Some industry insiders have even suggested that the recent departure of Windows division chief Steven Sinofsky may have been tied to tensions arising between him and chief executive officer Steve Ballmer over too slow growth of Windows Store.

According to The New York Times, "Mr. Ballmer was ... frustrated by the relatively sparse selection of applications available for Windows 8. Mr. Ballmer has long been an advocate of the importance of independent developers in making Windows successful." (Source: nytimes.com)