Android users, rather than being limited to one official app store as iPhone users are, have the freedom to shop outside of Google’s official Android app store at independent app stores. According to Wired, independent app stores promise more freedom, better access to apps and increased revenue for developers. Unlike Apple, Android apps do not require approval to be sold in the Android app store.

iPhone apps must be approved prior to making it in the iPhone app store and only one app store is allowed to exist, leaving less options for iPhone users. iPhone apps that are rejected from the app store only have hope in an underground app store called Cydia. Even then, apps sold in Cydia are available to only jailbroken phones. It’s totally possible that iPhone users are missing out on a lot of great iPhone apps. Android users only have the task of having to find apps in the free Android app market since nothing gets rejected from being sold

For Android app developers this poses an obstacle of getting their app noticed. The freedom to sell their apps at multiple independent app stores like Androlib, AppBrain, AndSpot and Slide Me helps developers reach more people.

“It’s all about promising more attention for apps,” says Vincent Hoogsteder, co-founder and CEO of Distimo, an apps analytics company. “If you are a developer targeting a specific market, it is easier to put your app in a store focusing on that, instead of losing yourself in the Android Market. If you are a consumer, then the idea is to help you find better apps.”

With at least 50,000 apps in the Android market, Android users only see a fraction of what’s available on your phone. Independent Android app stores bring visibility to lesser-known apps by aggregating apps in a search-friendly interface.

To read more about independent Android app stores, go here.