Final Day of Android's 10 Cent App Celebration Begins Today

COMMENTARY | Earlier last week, Google announced that the Android Market had hit 10 billion downloads and had an impressive growth rate of over a billion downloads per month. As a result, it has been celebrating by offering 10 (or so) paid apps for just $0.10 each day. Today is the 10th and final day, so if you haven't taken advantage of the promotion, this is your last chance.

This promotion is a pretty cool way to introduce a lot of people into the paid app ecosystem. The Android App Market, with its preponderance of free apps, doesn't always generate the same per-download revenue as the iOS market, and this could be a bet by Google that once people get comfortable with the idea of paying for quality apps that they will then make repeat purchases. I'll freely admit that I have recently begun to use Android, and that when I started I figured my data plan was costly enough and I'd rarely use a paid app unless it was something essential. I've been sorely tempted for the last nine days though, and may give in today and try it out -- $0.10 is just so harmless. I imagine a lot of other people have had similar reactions.

Google's methodology is interesting here when compared with what Apple did when it reached the same milestone back in January. Kevin over at ITWorld emphasizes the point that Google isn't covering the difference between the discount and the App's original costs - they have simply "partnered" with the developers, essentially offering them free promotion in exchange for the lower price. Apple, on the other hand, offered the person who made the 10 billionth download a $10,000 iTunes gift card. Kevin calls it apt but doesn't actually go into why, leaving it to each reader to insert his or her own Apple/Google stereotype into the comparison. Well, I'll bite. Apple and Google both have platforms rife with "fanboys" (and fangirls) who are devoted to the OS. In Google's case, you love Android for the large, open community feeling. In Apple's case, you love iOS because you feel it is curated just for you. So Google tries to reward the community, and Apple tries to reward you. It's the same thing, really, as an attempt to build loyalty, but the difference is interesting to think about. Feel free to disagree with me in the comments, but do tell me why if you do.

In any case, without any further ado, here are today's $0.10 Android Market Apps.

• Apparatus
• Camera Zoom FX
• Color and Draw for Kids
• HyperJump
• Heavy Gunner 3D
• Majesty: Fantasy Kingdom
• Puffle Launch
• Sentinel 3: Homeworld
• Star Chart
• Shine Runner
• Talking Ben The Dog
• TileStorm HD

See the Android Market for more.