Michael Harper
The dominance of free mobile applications continues to grow, as a new study reveals that iPhone users spend an average of 19 cents per app downloaded, while Android users spend only 6 cents per download.
The new figures were revealed by mobile app analytics firm Flurry in a post to its official blog on Thursday. While the average amount of money paid per iPhone download is 19 cents, the figures reveal that iPad owners are more likely to spend money on mobile downloads, with Apple's tablet carrying an average of 50 cents per app.
Android users, meanwhile, are the least likely to pay for software, at just 6 cents per download — less than a third of what iPhone owners pay, and more than eight times less than the average spent by iPad users. Flurry's data is collected from more than 350,000 applications available on iOS and Android.
Author Mary Ellen Gordon said the data suggests consumers are willing to see in-app advertising in exchange for free content, particularly on Android.
The numbers also show that many developers who test their pricing structure ultimately decide to give their apps away for free. As a result, Gordon characterized in-app advertising is "a sure thing for the foreseeable future."
Another reason for the downward trend of application prices is an increasing reliance by developers on in-app purchases. One study from earlier this year found that 71 percent of iPhone app revenue comes from so-called "freemium" titles, which are free to download but offer additional content through in-app purchases.
Apple's iOS App Store has long been identified as the dominant platform from which developers can earn money for their software. That potential for revenue has made the App Store the default choice for many developers, despite the fact that Android is the dominant smartphone platform in terms of market share.
One study released in May found that the top applications on iOS earn 4.6 times more than those on Google's Android platform. For the month of April, the top 200 grossing applications on the iOS App Store brought in $5.1 million per day, while Android's top 200 grossing downloads brought in $1.1 million per day.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
25 Comments
I don't play games, so maybe I fall outside the general norm, but I am happy to pay for my apps if it means they do what I want them to do, and if they have no ads.
These are amazing numbers for Apple and developers. I wonder what the impact will be when/if a low cost iPhone comes to fruition though. With all the new first time buyers will iOS's per day earnings go up or stay flat seeing as many of these new buyers will be lower income.
The prevalence of in-app purchases, and the fact that those purchases are more often than not wildly inflated prices, makes this study and the graph, kind of meaningless.
[quote name="Gazoobee" url="/t/158552/iphone-users-pay-average-of-19-cents-per-app-android-users-pay-just-6-cents#post_2363680"]The prevalence of in-app purchases, and the fact that those purchases are more often than not wildly inflated prices, makes this study and the graph, kind of meaningless. [/quote] True considering most of the top grossing apps on the App Store are "free" apps. I'd like to see a study that includes those in the metrics.
What about the billions of Android activations per hour?