I have been reporting on the status of the Windows Phone Store app count for a couple of years (remember when it passed 1,000 apps?), so it is nice to read that there are now over 130,000 apps available for the refreshed Windows Phone 8 platform. Microsoft reported that it is seeing a 75 percent increase in app downloads and a 91 percent increase in paid app revenue.

Image: Microsoft

Developer registrations are up by over 40,000 since the launch of WP8, 15,000 new apps optimized for WP8 have been released since the launch, and WP8 SDK downloads have passed 500,000. Microsoft data shows that people install an average of 55 apps on their devices. These are all good trends to see for Windows Phone 8.

Microsoft also released a new WP Dev Center so that developers can better track metrics associated with their applications.

While most of the apps I enjoy on Android and iOS are available on Windows Phone, there continue to be some big names missing. Instagram is one that people talk about a lot, and one that should have been announced at the WP8 launch event. BTW, where is the official Pandora app announced last year?

We continue to question why Instagram is not yet available. Are there not enough resources to develop for WP? Are there technical issues preventing Instagram from working on WP? Does Instagram just not see much potential for the WP market? I would think with Microsoft resources that it could make this happen.

What apps are your favorites on WP? What apps are you still looking for on this platform?

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