Lapps-what they are and how many are there now?

Lapps are another name for Lightning apps and are kinda like Dapps. The Lightning network(LN) is kinda like a giant smart contracts for payments but utilizing that feature-apps can be built on the LN. LN nodes connect to these apps and maintain the payment in a decentralized structure. Every user can connect to the apps in a cheap manner. You in theory can run a LN node on your phone!
Is it better than Dapps yes and no. For one LN uses bitcoin so the apps can't make its own token well....unless Counterparty truly can use the LN for its token. That a story for another time. :)
And second, in a way LN apps need people to run it. In Dapps the apps are in the chain so now need of finding its own node-it shares it with others. LN apps are more scaleable than Dapp ie the Lapps don't store the data. Lapps are also more basic.
Or as a Redditor says in a defense for Lapps over Dapps:

You mean like the people that want to use the actual apps? By either running them locally (peer to peer) or through some service hosting providers. You mean by not externalizing that cost by dumping their garbage on a blockchain?
You mean one group of people that prefer App1 can use that and pay for that, while another group is free to use alternative App2 and use that, without getting fucked when App1 turns out to be dog shit insecure, blowing up the whole blockchain?

So now you what Lapps are!

So how many Lapps are being tested?

Alot!

Here a list of Lapps for you to read:

• Y’alls: Read and write articles, with Lightning Network micropayments
  Basically a prototype answer to Bcash's yours.org
• Hammercoin: A role-playing game using Lightning for in-game payment
  A cool concept. Never tried it
• Zigzag: Cryptocurrency trading using Lightning (custodial)
  Basically shapeshift but LN style.
• Sarutobi: A game with Bitcoin and blockchain-based game items. Release announcement
• Bitquest: The first Minecraft server denominated in cryptocurrency. CoinJournal article
• Lightning Gem: Betting game using Lightning for payments
  Cool ideas but I don't play these types of game anymore :(
• Bard: Simple paywall for watching a music visualizer
  I hate paywalls.....but now you know you can pay in a second now :(
  * Block & Jerry’s: Ice cream shop- this is a demo apps of how Lapps could work for online shops
• CoinMall: Buy & sell digital products with cryptocurrencies. Yes a real crypto story accepting LN payments
• CoinTippy: Custodial tip bot available on multiple platforms, including Reddit, Twitter, and Telegram
  Yep LN has a tipping bot now- there a more decentralized one but it still to rough.
  But take that Bcash, we're coming for you. :)
• Lightning Charge: A drop-in solution for accepting lightning payments.
  Lightning Charge is a micropayment processing system
• WooCommerce Plugin: Gateway plugin to accept Lightning payments at WooCommerce stores
  Yeah now you can sell stuff and use the LN :)
  * Strike: Stripe-like Lightning payment aggregator API (custodial)
  Yeah take that Stripe we don't need to use you anymore.
• FileBazaar: micropayments for content creators that produce digital files like photos, videos, or docs
  A pay-per-view application- can be modified to be a be a file share system.
• Lightning Publisher: accept bitcoin payments for content on WordPress blogs (demo, github, discussion)
• Nanotip: a simple web server for accepting lightning donations (a lightning tip jar) The more decentralized tipping version
• Nanopos: a simple point-of-sale system for physical stores (demo, github, discussion)
  So BCH how do you like that fact that the LN has a Point of sale as well. :)
• ifpaytt: create Lightning-powered services that leverage the IFTTT infrastructure
• Paypercall: a simple way to charge for HTTP APIs on a pay-per-call basis
  A lot of the Lapps came from this list: http://dev.lightning.community/lapps/index.html
  

Keynote just bc bitcoin has Lapps does not mean bitcoin is not working on Dapps. Bitcoin dapps platform is rsk.co and counterparty.
Right now the bitcoin community has rallied behind the rsk platform bc of it ability to scale to levels that can challenge EOS and suppressed Eth all without clodding the bitcoin main chain.
You can read about the rsk platform here:
https://steemit.com/bitcoin/@sames/bitcoin-s-ethereum-killer-rsk-co
You can read an extended scaling plan as well:
https://steemit.com/bitcoin/@sames/how-rsk-is-going-to-use-sharding
See ya!