Android threatens to overtake the iPhone as the most popular smartphone platform for app development starting as early as next year, according to Millennial Media.
The iPhone was supported by around 30% of application developers as of October, the mobile advertising platform developer's latest survey revealed. Android was in second place at 23%.
But among developers looking to add a new platform in 2011, 29% plan to start creating for Android, compared to just 8% for the iPhone.
Android development is projected to grow faster than the iPad. The latter already has support from 21% of developers surveyed, with 20% planning to add the platform next year.
Windows Phone 7 was tied for second place with the iPad for the number of developers planning to add the platform to their portfolios.
These figures are not mutually exclusive.
App developers have an optimistic view for the industry's growth in 2011. Around 31% expect their revenue to increase by over 100% in 2011, with 17% forecasting 50% or more growth.
In a separate study, app store analytics company Distimo revealed that 7% of apps on the Apple App Store are iPad only, with a further 7% supporting both the iPad and iPhone.
The remainder are iPhone only. In July only 9% of apps supported the iPad.