Google prepares new Android Market

Google is set to update its Android Market applications marketplace in an attempt to better compete with major rival Apple’s App Store, with new features designed to get more developers and users on board.

In a blog posting, Android Mobile platform program manager Eric Chu, explained that the new version – 1.6 – will allow developers to provide screenshots, promotional icons and descriptions in order to better show off their applications and games.

“We have also added four new sub-categories for applications: sports, health, themes, and comics,” he wrote.

“Developers can now choose these sub-categories for both new and existing applications via the publisher website. Finally, we have added seller support for developers in Italy. Italian developers can go to the publisher website to upload applications and target any of the countries where paid applications are currently available to users.”

Chu urged developers to visit the Android Market publisher website to take advantage of the upcoming refresh.

Google will be hoping that the new features will encourage developers and end-users to embrace the platform in greater numbers than they have been so far.

Although it is a relative newcomer compared to Apple’s App Store, the latter is still the undisputed leader in the smartphone market, achieving its billionth download within just nine months.

Commentators have also claimed that users are just less willing to spend money on Android apps than they are iPhone applications, and according to recent research by Distimo, those that are buying tend to go for tools and apps on the Android platform, while the majority of sales on the iPhone are for games.