The combined revenues from the four major app stores -- those run by Apple, Google, Research in Motion (RIM) and Nokia -- will soar by 78% this year to $3.8 billion, said IHS iSuppli in a published Tuesday.

Apple's App Store will account for $2.91 billion, or a 76.6% share of the total market, on the back of a forecast of 10.3 billion downloads. If iSuppli's estimate is accurate, in 2011 the App Store will post a 63.4% increase over last year's revenues of $1.78 billion.

According to Jack Kent, an iSuppli analyst who covers mobile media, Apple will retain its majority through at least 2014, when it will rake in 60% of a projected industry-wide $8.3 billion in mobile app income.

"[That will be] despite efforts by the other stores to match Apple's ability to monetize its users," said Kent in his note.

But Google's Android Market will grow at a rate four times faster than the App Store this year.