Planet of the Apps: 12th July

It's that time of the week when our app specialist Stuart Dredge gives us the lowdown on what's hot and what's not in the world of apps.

NEWS

15 billion downloads on the App Store

Apple announced this big milestone last week- 15 billion apps have now been downloaded from it's App Store for iPhone and iPad - and it's currently doing one billion a month (with Androids store doing another half a billion). The average iPhone or iPad user has downloaded 75 apps (this includes pais and free).

Music apps are the most popular apps!

New research from Nielson says that 44% of app users have used a music app in the last month. It's the fifth most popular category behind maps, social networking, weather and games.

The latter is the most popular - 64% of app users have played a game in the last month, and according to Nielson's survey, the average iPhone gamer plays for 14.7 hours a month.

Polyphonic Spree interactive video app.

They're back! And they have more than just their robes as a gimmick this time.

The Polyphonic Spree's new single is available as an interactive video app for iPhone and iPad, where you play a little character called You-Me exploring a world while the song plays.

Coldplay Piano Songbook

Coldplay? There's an iPad app for them - one that gives you the sheet music for 15 of their hits and backing tracks to play along to.

REVIEWS

TV Guide

This is an Android app from Virgin Media which lets people browse their digital TV and set recordings. It's very slick - and there are simple apps for Sky+ too and it's a very good example of how your phone is becoming and extension of your TV.

Tiny Tower/CityVille Hometown

There's a big trend at the moment for mobile games that are;

a) free (but you pay for stuff with them), and

b) rather awesome.

Tiny Tower and CityVille Hometown are two new and good ones which we can be really excited about!

Songify

TV Guide Songify claims to 'turn speech into music' - you talk into the mic and it gives you a backing track. It's tied in to some people called the Gregory Brothers, who do the AutoTune and News Videos on YouTube. You buy 'packs' in the app for 59p each with different styles - rap, club, pop, 'bed intruder'.