A report on mobile applications sales ranked Apple’s iPhone App Store “miles ahead of the competition” as the leading software marketplace, based on timeliness to market, the ability to attract developers, and the “number, variety and appeal of applications available.”

Global Intelligence Alliance Group ranked Apple’s software sales through iTunes in comparison with Google’s existing Android Marketplace, as well as several other competing stores for other platforms now being set up for deployment later this year, including Nokia’s Ovi Apps Store for Symbian, RIM’s BlackBerry Apps Storefront, Microsoft SkyMarket for Windows Mobile, and Palm’s webOS Software Store for its upcoming and much anticipated Pre.

A variety of software stores operated by third parties were not included in the rankings. Microsoft formerly recommended Handango to its Windows Mobile developers; that site also offers mobile software for PalmOS, Symbian, and BlackBerry devices and announced plans last fall to sell software for Android. Another example is PocketGear. As platform vendors seek to implement their own stores, they will also compete with their former partners, much like Microsoft’s Zune ate up the business of the company’s PlaysForSure MP3 player and music store partners.

It excluded companies like Verizon Wireless Media Center, which only allows its own apps to be run.