2012 saw Microsoft launch major updates to both its desktop and mobile operating systems, and the company just released some end-of-the-year stats on how its mobile marketplace advanced over the last twelve months. Microsoft is claiming that the company published over 75,000 new apps and games, enough to more than double its overall mobile app catalog. The company said it had over 120,000 apps available as of its big Windows Phone 8 event back in October — but since Microsoft didn't announce any update to that total count, we're guessing the needle hasn't significantly moved over the last two months. It goes without saying that Microsoft's store still significantly trails the iTunes App Store and Google Play, both of which are home to more than 700,000 apps each.

Of course, the bigger issue for Windows Phone has been less about the overall number of apps, and more about getting the apps people want on the platform. Microsoft knows that, too — the company said that 46 of the top 50 apps would be available for Windows Phone 8, though we're still waiting for the company to fill in some of the notable gaps in its storefront. Microsoft also revealed that owners have downloaded an average of 54 apps to their Windows Phones; comparatively, Apple said in September that iOS users downloaded more than 100 apps to their devices.