Apple has announced that over three billion apps have been downloaded from the Apple App Store by iPhone and iPod Touch users. According to the company, customers in 77 countries have access to its 20 categories of apps including games, business, news, sports, health, reference, and travel.

“Three billion applications downloaded in less than 18 months—this is like nothing we’ve ever seen before,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. “The revolutionary App Store offers iPhone and iPod touch users an experience unlike anything else available on other mobile devices, and we see no signs of the competition catching up anytime soon.”

Google is set to unveil its Nexus One phone today, which will be a direct competitor to Apple’s iPhone. Some think Apple may have made this announcement to try and steal a little bit of Google’s thunder.

“Apple’s statement is just a friendly reminder that it is the big app dog on the blog,” says ZDNet’s Larry Dignan. “I’m sure it is a mere coincidence that Apple’s release lands just a few hours before Google talks about Nexus One—and likely the Android app market.”

Regardless of Apple’s motivations, 2010 is set to be a big year for competition between Google and Apple in the mobile space. Apple is also reportedly acquiring Quattro wireless, a mobile ad network that competes directly with AdMob, which Google announced it was acquiring recently.

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