App Store nearly doubles Google Play revenues across COVID-19 lockdown
The Apple App Store generated $32.8 billion across the globe in the first half of 2020, nearly double that of the Google Play store.
![Credit: Apple](https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/36528-68038-app-store-iphones-l.jpg)
Credit: Apple
That number, based on data estimates from app analytics firm Sensor Tower, represents the total amount spent on in-app purchases, subscriptions and premium apps and games within the first six months of 2020. The firm bases its projections and predictions on data points, such as app analytics, and proprietary algorithms.
Consumers spent a total of $50.1 billion on the two largest app marketplaces during that period, Sensor Tower Store Intelligence estimates show. Notably, spending on the App Store was nearly double the gross revenue of the Google Play store, which clocked in with $17.3 billion.
The App Store's Q1 and Q2 2020 app revenue estimates was 23.4% higher than the $40.6 billion estimated for the same period in 2019. Similarly, app revenue had risen by about 20% that year from 2018.
As far as apps themselves, Sensor Tower estimates that there were 71.5 billion first-time downloads in the first half of 2020. The App Store accounted for 18.3 billion of those, a 22.8% year-over-year increase. That growth was at least partly attributed to global lockdowns amid the coronaviruscrisis.
The mobile gaming ecosystem also surged in the first six months of the year. Spending on the sphere was up 21.2% from the year before. Apple's App Store generated in-game spending growth of 22.7%, reaching a new milestone of $22.2 billion.
While TikTok maintained its spot as the most-downloaded non-gaming app, Tinder and YouTube ranked as the first and second highest earning apps in the category. For gaming apps, PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings ranked the first and second top-grossing apps.
Apple doesn't release detail statistics or results from its app marketplace, meaning app analytic estimates like these are often the only indication we get of the app economy's growth. With that being said, estimates aren't always accurate.
Recently, Apple did highlight an independent economic study looking at the total commerce generated by its App Store. Per that study, the marketplace contributed to more than $500 billion in total billings and sales.
Previously, Sensor Tower released a report showing that iPad app downloads were surging in the first quarter of 2020. Past reports from the analytics firm have also cemented the App Store's dominance over Google Play.
The App Store estimates come during a time of increased antitrust scrutiny over Apple's specific developer guidelines and in-app payment policies in the U.S. and Europe.
![Credit: Apple](https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/36528-68038-app-store-iphones-l.jpg)
Credit: Apple
That number, based on data estimates from app analytics firm Sensor Tower, represents the total amount spent on in-app purchases, subscriptions and premium apps and games within the first six months of 2020. The firm bases its projections and predictions on data points, such as app analytics, and proprietary algorithms.
Consumers spent a total of $50.1 billion on the two largest app marketplaces during that period, Sensor Tower Store Intelligence estimates show. Notably, spending on the App Store was nearly double the gross revenue of the Google Play store, which clocked in with $17.3 billion.
The App Store's Q1 and Q2 2020 app revenue estimates was 23.4% higher than the $40.6 billion estimated for the same period in 2019. Similarly, app revenue had risen by about 20% that year from 2018.
As far as apps themselves, Sensor Tower estimates that there were 71.5 billion first-time downloads in the first half of 2020. The App Store accounted for 18.3 billion of those, a 22.8% year-over-year increase. That growth was at least partly attributed to global lockdowns amid the coronaviruscrisis.
The mobile gaming ecosystem also surged in the first six months of the year. Spending on the sphere was up 21.2% from the year before. Apple's App Store generated in-game spending growth of 22.7%, reaching a new milestone of $22.2 billion.
While TikTok maintained its spot as the most-downloaded non-gaming app, Tinder and YouTube ranked as the first and second highest earning apps in the category. For gaming apps, PUBG Mobile and Honor of Kings ranked the first and second top-grossing apps.
Apple doesn't release detail statistics or results from its app marketplace, meaning app analytic estimates like these are often the only indication we get of the app economy's growth. With that being said, estimates aren't always accurate.
Recently, Apple did highlight an independent economic study looking at the total commerce generated by its App Store. Per that study, the marketplace contributed to more than $500 billion in total billings and sales.
Previously, Sensor Tower released a report showing that iPad app downloads were surging in the first quarter of 2020. Past reports from the analytics firm have also cemented the App Store's dominance over Google Play.
The App Store estimates come during a time of increased antitrust scrutiny over Apple's specific developer guidelines and in-app payment policies in the U.S. and Europe.
Comments
Eric Schmidt of Google predicted the same thing in Dec 2011, and even gave a timeline of 6 months for it to happen. His reasoning was that developers go where the market share is, and that was Android.
He was half right. The market share comment was correct, but he forgot to qualify it. Developers go to the platform that has the highest market share of “flagship customers”. You’re not going to make money trying to sell Apps to people buying $50 disposable phones, which comprises the majority of Android devices. When you look at flagships, the iPhone easily has the largest share of the market.
It was claimed a couple years ago that the total app revenue derived from Android when including the Chinese where Google Play is not available had exceeded those from the App Store. FWIW the Chinese spend on apps is approaching half of all worldwide revenues and most of it flowing to developers. In total as a group they may very likely make more from Android than iOS. Neither Google nor Apple is suffering when it comes to their app stores, but Google Play accounts for only a major sub-market of total Android app revenues and not its entirety. Even here in the West there are other app stores catering to Android developers besides Google Play.
Folks here like to point out apple's to oranges comparisons and this is yet another of them. Using the source report to make claims comparing two specific app stores is perfectly proper. Using it to extend claims about the two major app platforms in total it is not.
Edit: A now year and a half old article discussing how important Chinese app spend is.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/22/china-accounted-for-40-percent-of-global-spending-on-apps-report.html
Google's knockoff App Store should take more hits in the future as fragmentation gets worse.
So fragmentation is a good thing?
Sounds like a very anti-Apple argument. Like how iKnockoff users say privacy/security is bad because terrorists would use iPhone for it's security.
1/2 of App Store revenue isn't bad for a knockoff with cheap users who can't afford an iPhone. I know iKnockoff users who think spending money on apps is stupid.
There are only two major platforms - iOS on The App Store and Android on Google Play. That’s it.
Those third party stores don’t count for numerous reasons, the main one being they are typically carrier-locked stores. The Apps on these stores are designed to keep you with that store. Not only do you not see Google Play Apps in these stores, but most Apps from popular developers don’t even bother to put their Apps in them either (that is, if outside developers are even allowed). Likewise, Apps in these stores never make it to iOS or Android because they are designed for their specific community (cattier, country, state).
The only reason people try to add up this unrelated revenue is because they can’t stand the fact that The App Store massively outperforms Google Play, despite having about half the users.
App revenue is App Revenue, wherever it comes from, and Sensor Tower specifically does not count in-app ad revenue which may be more common on Android.
As for 'carrier locked' stores, the last time I looked at the top 10 Chinese App stores only one was from a carrier (China Mobile) and it was sitting at number 9.
Gatorguy is right. I saw the same news item he is referencing. At the time, the Chinese app stores were also breaking quarterly records for revenues and the combined App Store revenue totals all Android Stores was about to overtake Apple App Store revenues.
Kinda like when idiots claim iPhone sales are weak because it doesn't sell as much as 5000+ knockoff devices.
The big difference between what I said and you is your ignoring of the very substantial China market. iOS accounts for it, Google Play does not so stop getting all huffy and pretending you're comparing apples and apples. You're not.
The headline is open for interpretation.
"App Store nearly doubles Google Play revenues..."
One interpretation is that Google Play revenues doubled because of the App Store, that somehow App Store caused the doubling of Google Play revenues.
Better wording is:
"App Store revenues nearly double that of Google Play..."
Editing quality has gone downhill, I think.
Let us put it another way: Apple's entire Mac division "only" made $25.7 billion last year. Google Play meanwhile made $29 billion. So forget moving to ARM, Apple should stop making computers altogether, right?
But wait, there is more. iPad revenue: $21.3 billion. Everything else combined except services? $24.5 billion. Since those didn't make what massive epic failing Google Play pulled in last year, Apple should drop them. Right?
Look folks. Stop viewing the world through the lenses of DED, who only RECENTLY stopped claiming that Android was a massive money losing failure for everyone but Samsung that Google was going to abandon any day now. Google is making more on apps alone right now than Apple did as an entire company the year before they introduced the iPhone. Seriously what is wrong with you folks?
With Fire devices being a significant part of the Android tablet market, the Amazon app store is doing pretty well (at least for us).