Google reported strong earnings this afternoon, with revenue coming in at $5.06 billion for the quarter, up 19 percent from last year. Net income for the quarter also increased to $1.96 billion, up from $1.4 billion last year. Of course, we heard a few interesting tidbits during the earnings call, specifically relating to Google’s mobile business.
The Android Market now includes 38,000 apps, up 8,000 apps from a month ago. The application store for Android devices supposedly hit the 10,000 apps milestone in September 2009 and grew to some 16,000 apps in Android Market in December 2009.
Additionally, Google revealed that Nexus One, Google’s recently launched Android phone, is a profitable business for the search giant. The fact that’s its already profitable is surprising, if you take into account this report from Flurry, which reported low Nexus One sales. In fact, there’s been a lot of talk today about how the Nexus One’s initial roll-out has been a flop.
But Google maintained today that they are “driving the business to be a profitable business from the get go.” When asked if the phone will be offered in retail stores, Google couldn’t comment, but “is happy with device uptake and impact it has had raising the bar showing what a smartphone can do.”