Apple's iOS App Store widens revenue lead over Google Play in Q1 2015
Apple strengthened its position over Google in mobile app market revenue during the first quarter of 2015, helped along by massive growth in China, a country that now downloads more apps than the U.S., according to a report by analytics firm App Annie issued on Tuesday.
Source: App Annie
According to the company's latest data, Google outpaced iOS in overall app downloads by some 70 percent, up from 60 percent in the third quarter of 2014, thanks in large part to emerging markets in Mexico, Turkey, Brazil and Indonesia. However, worldwide app revenue was inversely proportional, with iOS App Store revenues coming in approximately 70 percent higher than Google Play over the same period, up from 60 percent in quarter three 2014.
App Annie called China a "bright spot" for Apple, with downloads reflecting iPhone marketshare gains, but noted overall download numbers went to Google Play.
"Apple's larger-screen iPhone 6 and 6 Plus proved immensely popular in the Chinese market where consumers prefer bigger display smartphones," App Annie remarked. By February, Apple had seized 27.6 percent of the Chinese smartphone market.
The patterns are consistent with app trends over the past few years. Android downloads have eclipsed those of iOS, in large part because the platform can be adopted by any phone or tablet maker, whether they're making high- or low-end devices. iOS though has maintained a solid grip on revenues, keeping it the primary target of many developers.
Source: App Annie
According to the company's latest data, Google outpaced iOS in overall app downloads by some 70 percent, up from 60 percent in the third quarter of 2014, thanks in large part to emerging markets in Mexico, Turkey, Brazil and Indonesia. However, worldwide app revenue was inversely proportional, with iOS App Store revenues coming in approximately 70 percent higher than Google Play over the same period, up from 60 percent in quarter three 2014.
App Annie called China a "bright spot" for Apple, with downloads reflecting iPhone marketshare gains, but noted overall download numbers went to Google Play.
"Apple's larger-screen iPhone 6 and 6 Plus proved immensely popular in the Chinese market where consumers prefer bigger display smartphones," App Annie remarked. By February, Apple had seized 27.6 percent of the Chinese smartphone market.
The patterns are consistent with app trends over the past few years. Android downloads have eclipsed those of iOS, in large part because the platform can be adopted by any phone or tablet maker, whether they're making high- or low-end devices. iOS though has maintained a solid grip on revenues, keeping it the primary target of many developers.
Comments
Even if you want to buy apps legitimately, they don't make it easy. You can't just pay for one app at a time. You have to pre-pay to load up your iTunes account with a minimum of 50 yuan, and then draw down on that balance.
Despite the almost 8-1 gap in worldwide smartphone sales, they hold over Apple, they only have 70% more overall app downloads.
When it comes to app store revenue, the picture is even more bleak. I guess we can officially bury Schmidt's prediction that developers will be developing for Android first.
Seconded - hurry up, Verizon! I'm sick of one-bar-requiring-my-phone-to-sit-on-the-windowsill-in-my-home-office signal! (I fairly regularly yank my phone off the window sill down on to my desk with my headphones.)
Edit: When WiFi calling was first announced, Verizon's CFO blasted it as "unnecessary" with Verizon's "great network", essentially saying that T-Mobile's embrace of it was because their network sucks. Mobile-Cell Phone Tracker
Well, guess what, Verizon - ALL the networks suck in some places. In my home office, my work-provided Verizon phone gets a worse signal than my (not WiFi-calling-enabled) personal T-Mobile phone! So, ironically, the carrier that supported WiFi calling first is the one I need it least on.