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Emerging markets see Android pushing further ahead in app downloads, but iOS increases revenue lead

The latest data from App Annie shows that Android has pushed further ahead in the number of apps downloaded worldwide, but iOS has increased its lead in app revenue.

Downloads in India and Southeast Asia in particular saw Android opening up its download lead from 85% in Q2 to 90% in Q3 2015, but that boost in low-cost handsets did nothing for app revenues. iOS apps increased their revenue lead from 70% to 80% in the last quarter … 

iOS and Google Play continued to show diverging growth patterns in Q3 2015. Google Play expanded its download lead over iOS thanks to first-time smartphone users in emerging markets like India and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, iOS extended its revenue lead over Google Play thanks to its continued strength in another Asian market: China.

Unsurprisingly, China has been a particularly important market for iOS apps, now seeing more downloaded than in the USA, with revenue also seeing strong growth.

In the USA, the most popular iOS app categories measured by time spent using them are social networking, photo & video, utilities and games, with music rounding out the top 5 on the iPhone while travel makes the #5 slot on the iPad.

It was predicted earlier this year that both Apple and Google would see their app store revenues doubling within four years.

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Comments

  1. PhilBoogie - 9 years ago

    Android is also pushing further ahead in lack of security¡

  2. lkrupp215 - 9 years ago

    It’s been perfectly clear for years now that iOS and Android demographics are on opposite ends of the spectrum. How else can this gap be explained? Android users download more apps but iOS apps bring in the most revenue? Somebody is spending money and somebody else is not.

    What I would like to see is a study that involves actual developers, which platform they prefer to develop for and why? The smartphone market has not fallen in line with the predictions made when the iPhone was released. Things were supposed to mimic the Windows/Mac OS experience in that developers would flock to the platform with the biggest market share. Developers were supposed to flock to Android and abandon iOS leaving the iPhone without important apps or last to get them. That didn’t happen obviously. Why?

  3. torchio001 - 9 years ago

    What¡s the game on the right?

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      I don’t know – the image is from Apple, but someone here may recognise?

    • HannibalTC - 9 years ago

      Warhammer 40,000: Freeblade – the game they showcased during the event using 3D touch. Doesn’t seem to have a fixed launch date yet, but apparently before the end of the year :).

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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