Is that an app in your pocket?

Android catching up with iPhone on paid apps

August 29th, 2012 - Charlie Edmunds

Our survey of 17,000 smartphone users, carried out with Pocket-Lint and Mobile Nations, reveals that Android users and iPhone users are becoming more alike – at least when it comes to buying apps.

In 2011 Apple were well ahead in the paid app stakes, with 39% of iPhone users having more than 20 paid apps, and only 3% having none. Android users, on the other hand, were more likely to have no paid apps at all (12%) than they were to have more than 20 (10%).

This year sees twice as many Android users having a large number of apps, while iPhone users are not quite so app-happy. 19% of Android users and 26% of iPhone users in the 2012 survey say they have over 20 paid apps on their phones. When it comes to paid-app refusers Android and Apple are now almost identical, with 6% of iPhone users and 7% of Android users having never spent money on an app.

Why do you think Android users are so much happier to buy apps? Is the quality of apps on offer improving? Let us know in the comments!