Apple iOS App Store continues dominance over Google Play in earnings battle, gap widening
While iOS App Store purchase volume may be losing ground from a marketshare perspective by number of downloads, Apple continues to dominate the market in consumer spending by a wide margin and still growing.
According to new data published by analytical firm App Annie, the app store market as a whole is growing by 15 percent per year in number of downloads. Google Play leads the charge gaining at 20 percent year over year with games being the main driver, and holds a 135 percent lead over Apple's iOS App Store.
The gap is driven by emerging markets, as well as the overall lower selling price of Android smartphones. App Annie expects the increase in total downloads, as well as the widening gap between Apple's iOS App Store and Google Play to continue for some time.
Apple's download total still grew by 5 percent. China continues to be the driving force behind the growth, with Russia seeing the largest market share growth, and India coming in third.
Number of downloads isn't the only metric that app stores can be measured by. Apple continues to hold 95 percent more of the money spent on apps, even with the disparity in total downloads.
In the year ago quarter, Apple opened its lead up by five percent, with the second quarter of 2016 seeing Apple holding a 90 percent lead over Google Play. Both app stores saw significant growth in consumer spend year over year with iOS and Google Play growing 35 percent and 30 percent, respectively.
China remains the largest growth market for consumer spending. As with download totals, games remain the largest contributor to spending, followed closely by video and music streaming apps. It is not clear if Apple Music subscriptions are included in App Annie's totals.
App Annie Intelligence consumer spend estimates represent the total consumer spend on both the iOS App Store and Google Play prior to fees taken out by Apple and Google. Amazon's store, and other Android app stores are not included.
Consumer spend estimates reflect what consumers spend in app stores for paid downloads and in-app purchases including subscriptions. They do not include revenue earned from in-app advertising.
According to new data published by analytical firm App Annie, the app store market as a whole is growing by 15 percent per year in number of downloads. Google Play leads the charge gaining at 20 percent year over year with games being the main driver, and holds a 135 percent lead over Apple's iOS App Store.
The gap is driven by emerging markets, as well as the overall lower selling price of Android smartphones. App Annie expects the increase in total downloads, as well as the widening gap between Apple's iOS App Store and Google Play to continue for some time.
Apple's download total still grew by 5 percent. China continues to be the driving force behind the growth, with Russia seeing the largest market share growth, and India coming in third.
Number of downloads isn't the only metric that app stores can be measured by. Apple continues to hold 95 percent more of the money spent on apps, even with the disparity in total downloads.
In the year ago quarter, Apple opened its lead up by five percent, with the second quarter of 2016 seeing Apple holding a 90 percent lead over Google Play. Both app stores saw significant growth in consumer spend year over year with iOS and Google Play growing 35 percent and 30 percent, respectively.
China remains the largest growth market for consumer spending. As with download totals, games remain the largest contributor to spending, followed closely by video and music streaming apps. It is not clear if Apple Music subscriptions are included in App Annie's totals.
App Annie Intelligence consumer spend estimates represent the total consumer spend on both the iOS App Store and Google Play prior to fees taken out by Apple and Google. Amazon's store, and other Android app stores are not included.
Consumer spend estimates reflect what consumers spend in app stores for paid downloads and in-app purchases including subscriptions. They do not include revenue earned from in-app advertising.
Comments
I still find it hilarious that with all the noise in the media about Apple may be forced to make iOS less secure to allow for access by law enforcement, not one single peep from Google regarding the "security" of Android, or more specifically lack thereof.
I see...
What happens when all the other Android stores are added onto the Google Play results?
https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/29/app-annie-android-to-top-ios-in-app-store-revenue-this-year/
As for the comment about not hearing of an android phone needing to be tapped into because it was owned by a terrorist, have you noticed that every time a phone is retrieved from a terrorist or criminal.....its an iPhone. Perhaps this is directly because of the security of an iPhone which makes it the choice of terrorists and such like, because they know law enforcement will have trouble getting in. Android has good security but not quite as good as iOS which makes the iPhone the phone to go for, if you have dodgy dealings to hide.
If I can get an App that does exactly what I want it to do and its free, why should I pay for one that does exactly the same but just looks a bit better or different?
Did you get your participation trophy today?
That qualifies as Fandroid behavior in my book.
You do realise the lkrupp is on your side, right?
A poster with just three posts under his belt and instead of giving him the benefit of the doubt you go on the offensive.
I think today, all you can go by is some App Annie data (or from some similiar mechanism) so in reality you cannot have even the slightest idea of what the situation is today to base your statement on. However, if we accept App Annie as a viable indicator, the link I provided forecast that combined Android App store revenue would surpass the Apple App Store (and by a decent margin) this year. We are nearly in August and the year is winding down. Nothing much will happen between now and September. You don't think that the change could have happened already?
The link also indicated that 75% of world app store revenue came from just five countries. If just one of those countries were to 'wobble' the general forecast would be impacted.
Now, two of the five are the UK and China.
The economic indicators for the UK this year (and going forward) are bleak (I'm being kind with that adjective) and China has been a tough sell for Apple this year with competitors pushing Apple down the sales ranking. Do you need links for those or can we say that these points are generally accepted?
What impact could this have on Apple App Store revenues in 2017?
Of course, we can't know but at least I'm painting a picture based on tangible information and joining the dots with logic few people could scoff at.
I could even expand on that and say that a large part of app store revenues are attributable to games and subscriptions. Now, subscriptions are exactly the kind of thing that gets the chop when personal budgets constrict. Do you think that consumer optimism is at an all time high in the UK right now? And China? What impact will China Android sales have on Android app store metrics?
Your personal forecast for iOS 11 and AR apps just amounts to wishful thinking today.
No need to comment on your trophy comment.
You know the one about throwing stones and living in glass houses?
This article is about Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. It is made extremely clear in the article itself. It is not about Android app stores in general but nevertheless some people automatically read a different story in their heads and feel the need to gleefully spout off about all things Android, Fandroids etc.
My post straightened things out in a very mild manner. No gloating, ridicule or personal attacks.
When it happens that all of the combined Android App Stores exceed the revenue of the iOS App Store, then come by AI and post a factual link, and gloat. In the meantime, it hasn't happened, and more to the point, the original post was fully accurate comparing Google Play with the iOS App Store.
As to the other poster; he has only complained and/or called out AI Members in his three posts, hasn't added anything to the conversation, and hasn't earned the right to be taken seriously.
Have you seen anything to back up your statement that the Apple App Store is still (today) topping the revenue charts against the combined Android app stores?
My reply was there on that point first. My post mentioned a forecast, a prediction (and from the same data source as the AI article) and Included the link. Your post stated that the forecast hadn't become reality yet. How do you know? Do you have figures for today? If you have them, all I ask is that you post the link because that's what you are complaining about with the other poster. Shouldn't you be practicing what you preach?
A completely different issue is your speculation on the impact of iOS 11. That's fine and that's exactly why I didn't take issue with it in my reply although it amounts to wishful thinking (today) as iOS 11 and AR apps have yet to become available. Speculate all you want (I do exactly the same) but when you start claiming facts that you don't or can't backup, you are on thin ice. When you complain about others doing the same (and in the same thread), the ice breaks.