I've only got a handful. Facebook, a banking app, eBay, Kijiji, Angry Birds, Flashlight, Jumbline 2 (a game), and Cydia (obviously 😛).
The only folder I have is for "utilities" which comprises of the stock apps: Clock, Compass, Voice Memos, Game Center, Stocks, Weather, iTunes, YouTube, Notes, and Terminal from Cydia.
Because I use my iP4 for both work & pleasure, I continue to refine the layout of my apps. I'm focused on insuring I have only the most important ones on the first screen.
In addition while I've tried quite a large number of apps in the process of identifying what works best for my needs, my priority is the concept of "less is more".
I tend to use my iPhone quite heavily throughout the day, as I'm highly mobile. For that reason alone, I find that folders slow me down. I only use them as a repository for apps I'm testing, or apps I only use once in a while.
To your question of how many, I'm guessing I have approx. 24 that are used frequently each day. Then there are another 30 or so that see weekly use. Finally, I have about eight folders organized by category which contain the rest of my apps.
Holy cow! I had no idea so I checked. It says 305 and I know I have more than that NOT on the iPhone anymore. I honestly cannot believe there are 305 apps on my phone. Time for a hand (finger?) count...
Mike
Edit: OK, handcount gives me 333 apps. I assume that means the 28 "extra" are legacy apps?
120--15 on my primary homescreen, the rest sorted into seven folders by category. (Jailbreak + FolderEnhancer means a lot fewer folders needed to fit them all while still keeping them sorted). Two homescreens total.
iPad has 100 apps and just one homepage. Folder categories on both are identical.
i just trimmed down my iPhone to about 150 apps. i have about 230 on my iPad and iPod touch. probably about 70% are games. of that about 90% are for my kids. 🙂
Default ones is about 21 (still on 4.0, so no Game Center app).
^^My first page, apps are organized in that exact order like that first gen iPhone pic. It has been that way for me since 2008 when I got a first gen. I usually change the homescreen background with a sunset wallpaper. I never have a 4th row because I want enough space to swipe across my finger to the next page. With my Pixi Plus, I can't have this level of space, so apps get accidentally opened when I swipe across and it doesn't help it has a 2.63-inch screen.
On my second page, I have 12 folders and are all in alphabetical order. Again, no 4th row. I am OCD enough that I can never have more than 82 third-party apps because the second and third row of folders has to match each other in quantity of apps which is 6. The top folders in the first row has 9 or more. I like things looking very even. It is an OCD similar to David Beckham when he needs to have the same exact order of drinks in his refrigerator. If there is an odd number, he throws it out.
The default ones like iTunes, App Store, Contacts, Compass, and Voice Memo are in one of those folders. I hate that Apple with iOS5 is giving us more icons like Newsstand, Reminders, and the Video App.