Let’s be frank: in the end, it’s all about the cash, the greenies, el dinero… Beyond your subscriptions, downloads and add-viewing, lies a complex strategy of actually making you burst with consumer’s frenzy while shouting out loud the oh-so-popular ‘Shut up and take my money!’. Let’s not be hasty and frown upon these men and women who carefully dissect our minds, cravings and pockets, but rather let’s engage in a little bit of dissecting ourselves…
All, do your evil laugh with me on this one!
Companies and developers select their platforms and revenue models according to their own targets and needs. Even in this pond iOS, Android, HTML5 mobile, Windows Phone and Blackberry are really the big fish which excel in various sectors with particular revenue models.
While the competition between iOS and Android in attracting users goes on, Apple stays, at the end of the day, ahead of the app game, being outreached by Android only in the in-app advertising segment, where Android hits a 30% of the market, while iOS stays 4% lower, at 26%.
Yet, on average, iOS remains the most searched-for platform. Let’s take a look at some numbers which reflect this last statement. The average monthly revenue an iOS developer makes is $5,200 on pay-per-download and in-app purchasing revenue models, while those developing on Android score a monthly $4,700 on in-app advertinsing and pay-per-download ones.
The same hierarchy appears among contract developers’ choices, indicating iOS’ stability as a highly popular option. Therefore, Apple attracts approximately 40% of contract developers working of commissioned apps, while Android stays behind it with a 10% gap. Take a look at these Developer Economics charts for a slightly more panoramic view:
Now, let’s not just skip over the fierce competition between the two platforms which these numbers evoke. Developers and analysts nervously munch on their virtual popcorn bags as the course of the Apple – Android race goes on. Some say a shift between the two tech powers will occur till the end of 2013, while others blindly support Apple’s reign. One thing’s for sure – whatever happens between the two, humanity will continue to press buttons, add to its carts and upgrade to full versions – forever undisturbed by the sweat and labour of those paving the way for them to do so.
