The latest data from App Annie shows that Android has pushed further ahead in the number of apps downloaded worldwide, but iOS has increased its lead in app revenue.
Downloads in India and Southeast Asia in particular saw Android opening up its download lead from 85% in Q2 to 90% in Q3 2015, but that boost in low-cost handsets did nothing for app revenues. iOS apps increased their revenue lead from 70% to 80% in the last quarter …
iOS and Google Play continued to show diverging growth patterns in Q3 2015. Google Play expanded its download lead over iOS thanks to first-time smartphone users in emerging markets like India and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, iOS extended its revenue lead over Google Play thanks to its continued strength in another Asian market: China.
Unsurprisingly, China has been a particularly important market for iOS apps, now seeing more downloaded than in the USA, with revenue also seeing strong growth.
In the USA, the most popular iOS app categories measured by time spent using them are social networking, photo & video, utilities and games, with music rounding out the top 5 on the iPhone while travel makes the #5 slot on the iPad.
It was predicted earlier this year that both Apple and Google would see their app store revenues doubling within four years.
