Google Play, Google’s app store for Android devices, now has more than 500,000 applications available.

According to apps analytics firm Distimo, Google Play reached the milestone at the beginning of May, meaning that more than 100,000 apps have been added in the space of four months.

In contrast, Apple’s App Store added 63,000 apps during the period, with Windows Phone Marketplace adding 35,000 and BlackBerry App World, 22,000.

There were more than 600,000 apps available for iOS by April this year. Google Play is nevertheless closing the gap, with 30,000 more new apps added in the past six months. However, the difference in the number of apps between the stores remains around 110,000 apps.

According to Distimo, it will become fairer to compare the total number of apps on Google Play and Apple App Store as sales of Android tablets – and tablet-optimised apps – pick up.