Honeycomb app sales climbing fast

Smartphones have been Google's bread and butter in the mobile market for some time, but the company's latest stats show that its place in the tablet market is quickly gaining ground as well.

A graph obtained by technology news blog SlashGear reveals that paid application sales for Google's tablet-specific operating system Android™ Honeycomb are nearly four times that of Gingerbread and eight times more than Froyo, its smartphone operating systems.

The news provider notes that Google has traditionally had difficulty getting users to open their wallets, given the wealth of free apps available for the mobile operating system. Honeycomb apparently breaks the mold, as more users seem willing to pay for apps that fit the tablet's larger screen.

Android still trails market leader Apple® in the tablet market. However, its market share is steadily growing as more Android-based devices are released. The arrival of the upcoming Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, which is expected to bridge the gap between Android smartphones and tablets, may boost this market share and significantly increase the competition.