Snapshot
A survey shows that the top paid apps for Android are priced much higher than Apple’s iPhone apps. The average top 100 Android app has a price of $3.74 versus only $1.47 for a top 100 iPhone app. There is also a lack of similarity between the apps downloaded in both US top 100 Android and iPhone apps, as only 19 apps were on both lists. This means the success of an app in Apple’s more mature and controlled app store is not necessarily going to carry over to Android’s open, less secure and less consumer friendly app store.

 

Key Points

  • All the top 100 paid Android apps in the US have a combined total price of $374.37, or an average $3.74/app which is 2.5 times that of iPhone. For iPhone the total is $147, or an average $1.47 per app.
  • When looking at only the top 20 most downloaded paid apps, Android’s average top 20 apps costs more at $4.09 versus only $1.04 for the iPhone.
  • Even when looking at only the top 10 most downloaded paid apps, Android’s average top 10 apps costs more at $3.47 versus only $0.99 for the iPhone.
  • Similar results were also found in surveys conducted in Germany, India, Singapore and the UK.
  • Also, the survey showed that only 19 apps appeared in both the top US 100 app lists for Android and iPhone, their pricing was also very similar except for the apps that were listed with promotional prices in the Apple App store.
  • According to Rachel Lashford, a Managing Director with Canalys, apps popular in the iPhone app store do not convert automatically to successful apps the Android app store, as the iPhone is a more matured and controlled retail environment while the Android Market is open, less secure and less consumer friendly.
  • 82% of the top 100 Apple iPhone apps were found to be priced at $0.99, while only 22% of the top 100 Android Market apps were priced at this level.
  • Apple iPhone low costing apps leave them better suited for increased in-app purchase revenues as users are willing to pay additional money for extra content after knowing the quality of an app, unlike Android apps which are higher priced.
  • Analysis
      • Rachel Lashford, a Managing Director at Canalys, says in relation to higher Android app prices, “But the reality is that with fewer people willing to purchase apps on Android than on iOS today, there is more of a necessity to do so. Developers and publishers need to balance the iOS volume opportunity with a potentially greater value per download opportunity on Android, where more apps command higher price points.”
      • Lashford also added, “More aggressive price competition around Android apps would help to encourage more consumers to make their first app purchases, drive greater download volumes, and ultimately be good for the vibrancy of the app ecosystem.”

 

 

Source Canalys (February 23, 2012)

Reference Canalys

Image Dollar store by by Nemo’s great uncle

 

 

 

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