Google Plus may have 400 mn users by 2012-end

Google's social networking site Google Plus will have more than 400 million users by the end of 2012, a researcher has said.

The website that went public in September has passed the 62 million mark, the Daily Mail said.

American analyst Paul Allen has said 625,000 members were signing up every day, and the number would rapidly increase because 700,000 Android devices are being bought every day.

"Based on the accelerated growth I'm seeing and all the dials and levers Google can still utilise, and the developer ecosystem that will be developed, I predict that 2012 is going to be a breakout year for Google Plus and that it will end next year with more than 400 million users," Allen was quoted as saying.

Google Plus' rival Facebook has 800 million users.

The daily said Allen's methodology was not based on actual figures and could be described as a guess.

The Global Web Index last week announced that Google Plus actually has 150 million active users, more than double of Allen's estimate.

Google has declined to comment.