Windows Phone Marketplace Put on Some Weight in 2012

Microsoft’s mobile ecosystem has a lot of growing to do before it comes close to matching either Apple’s or Google’s in size, but it’s making progress — slow and steady.

Microsoft said today that it certified and published over 75,000 new apps and games in 2012, enough to more than double the size of the Windows Phone Marketplace catalog. That increase has inspired a bump in app downloads on the platform, with Windows Phone users averaging about 54 apps downloaded for the year.

Microsoft didn’t specify what percentage of that number represented apps. But regardless of the free/paid mix, the nascent platform is clearly picking up a modicum of momentum in a highly competitive market.

With the number of Windows Phone devices set to increase in the year ahead, that momentum will likely grow. Certainly, market forecasters believe that to be the case. According to IDC’s latest prediction, Windows Phone will grow its market share from 2.6 percent to 11.4 percent by 2016.