Google released a new application-status dashboard for Android Market developers that charts program download numbers across various Android versions and devices. Meanwhile, Google released the latest stats from its previously released device dashboard, showing that Android 2.2 now represents 61 percent of all active Android devices.

Google launched an application statistics dashboard to help software developers gauge the installation performance of programs offered in the Android Market. Posted on Mar. 17 in the main listings page of the Market Developer Console, the dashboard summarizes each application's current download numbers, as well as its distribution across Android platform versions, devices, countries, and languages.

The dashboard also shows aggregate distribution for all application installs from Android Market, giving developers an idea about how their applications play relative to the rest of Market. 

Android Market dashboard stats for Google's Androidify app on Mar. 13
Source: Google
(Click to enlarge)

Ideally, this information will give developers the insight they need to tune their "development and marketing," writes Eric Chu from Google's Android Developer Ecosystem, in Google's announcement of the dashboard. The application stat dashboard, which will be updated daily, starts with data retroactive to December 22. Chu also promised his team would deliver more reporting features to help Android developers manage applications they seed in the Android Market.

Google also released some snapshot charts (pictured above) showing Android Market download profiles for its own Androidify app on Mar. 13 (pictured above). Almost 66 percent of the Androidify download sessions originated from Android 2.2 ("Froyo"), vs. a 57.1 percent Froyo average for all Android Market sessions, the chart indicates. Meanwhile, for Androidify, at least, HTC's Evo 4G is the leading source for downloads with a commanding 6.7 percent compared to the second-place Samsung Galaxy S (5.3 percent).

Froyo owns 61 percent of Android market

The stat dashboard is not the first Android developer dashboard app provided by Google. In Dec. 2009, the company released a device dashboard that charts the percentage of Android handsets that are running each build of the platform. The device dashboard helps developers decide what iterations of the Android operating system their applications should support.

Android platform versions on Google's device dashboard, Mar. 15, 2011
Source: Google

The current device dashboard (which is updated every two weeks) shows that Android 2.2 comprises 61 percent of platform devices. Android 2.1 is next at 29 percent, followed by version 1.6 (4.8 percent), and 1.5 (3.0 percent). The new Android 2.3 and 2.3.3, found on the Google Nexus S phone, combine for 1.7 percent, while the tablet-oriented Android 3.0, currently available on the new Motorola Xoom, represents a mere 0.2 percent.

Improving Android Market, one step at a time

Google's dashboards represent pieces of a broader attempt to sculpt the Android Market into a respectable platform ecosystem that developers will want to go to as an open source alternative to Apple's App Store. While possessing more stringent rules, Apple's App Store offers a lot of perks for developers, including better distribution, monetization options and, yes, metrics.

Google in the last several months has stepped up its efforts, adding application payment in more countries as well as new carrier billing options. Google has also redesigned the Market client, added content ratings, and created a separate Android Market Webstore.

Clint Boulton is a writer for our sister publication eWEEK.

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