Google has begun recruiting dozens of Android app developers to boost its open-source mobile platform, which is seeing a significant amount of growth lately. Google product management director Benjamin Ling is leading the recruiting efforts, aimed to significantly increase Google’s in-house developed apps portfolio which now stands at about 20.

“Besides the potential of making money directly from such creations, more and better apps can help devices powered by Google’s Android operating system continue to gain ground on Apple’s iPhones and iPads.”

While a few more apps won’t push Android Marker further ahead of the Apple App Store’s 350K apps current inventory, several Angry Birds-equivalents would certainly be enough to boost the already popular Android even further ahead of Apple and its other competitors.

Nokia’s Symbian stands out in this competitor list, notably because the former leading mobile platform was overthrown by Android in Q4, 2010 according to research firm Canalys. 32.9 million Android devices were sold last quarter compared to Symbian’s total sales of 31 million units. Android, however fragmented it may be, is definitely on the rise, and more officially-promoted apps may prove themselves to be a good strategy to increase Google’s mobile user base even further.

Android is moving forward fast, and we’ve been noting its growing app base, too. Moreover, support from developers and products continues to expand, as Suport.com updates its platform for Android, as well as iOS and WP7.