Free apps continue to grow in popularity, as a new study shows that iPhone users spend an average of only 19 cents per app download, and 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 get off the cheapest, paying just 6 cents a download, less than a third of what iPhone users pay, more than eight times less than what iPad users cough up.
Flurry’s data is collected from more than 350,000 apps available on iOS and Android.
The trend is an indicator that consumers are willing to see in-app advertising for free content, particularly when it comes to Android, and it also shows developers are developing an increasing reliance on in-app purchases as an income generator.
Apple’s iOS App Store has long been identified as the dominant store where developers can earn money for their software. A May study by mobile app analytics firm Distimo showed that for the month of April, the top 200 grossing apps in the iOS App Store reportedly earned $5.1 million per day, while Android’s top 200 grossing apps grabbed $1.1 million per day.
