When it comes to app stores, Google Play and Apple’s App Store are two of the most dominant in the world, but it appears that the place for Android apps is not generating as much revenues as its iOS equivalent. According to a report recently released by Sensor Tower, Android mobile users based in the United States on average are spending 33 percent less on Google Play as compared to iOS mobile users are doing on the App Store. Interestingly, the market research firm’s report shows that Android users are downloading more mobile apps for every handset, an average of 42 from Google Play in 2016. Now compare that to iPhone owners who on average downloaded 33 iOS apps for every Apple device from the App Store.
Does this mean that Android mobile users are more conscious of costs compared to iOS users? As explained by Ruika Lin, a researcher at Sensor Tower, Android powered mobile devices generally have lower prices compared to Apple made smartphones and tablets. Thus, they could be more inclined to spend less.
What is clear though is that Android mobile users love to play all sorts of games. Of the total average spending among Android users, 90 percent goes to the acquisition of mobile games. The games category has also enjoyed much success in the world of iOS apps. Sure, owners of Android devices may be spending cash on twice as more games than iOS users do, but with both Android and iOS users, the average spending is $27 for mobile games in 2016.
It goes without saying that other categories do not attract as much spending compared to the mobile games category. Sensor Tower’s latest report shows that Android users are spending less than $0.50 on apps not classified as games. In making this report, the market research firm actually took the time to gather data from approximately 135 million active devices in America powered by Google’s Android mobile operating system and with default access to its app store.
In its report, Sensor Tower also made mention of the differences in approach employed by Google and Apple with regards to monetization. Google typically does not require publishers to use the Google Play app store’s in-app billing service, unlike what is being practiced by Apple for its App Store. Because of this, publishers of Android apps can bypass Google Play completely for billing purposes, and in the process, avoid paying the 30 percent platform charges imposed by Google.
