The companies behind mobile operating systems like to brag how many apps are available for their operating system. There is a good reason for it: ABI Research estimates that the mobile app market will be worth US$27 billion in 2013.
Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems dominate while competitors such as BlackBerry and Windows Phone continue to struggle to make any headway, partly because they don’t offer the same breadth of applications. While there are more Android apps than iOS apps now, the latter continues to account for the majority of revenues.
“iOS continues to lead the way, and the OS is projected to generate over two-thirds of the revenues for smartphone and tablet apps in 2013,” says senior analyst Josh Flood. “Although Google’s Android OS recently surpassed Apple in terms of total app numbers, iOS users continue to prove they’re more willing to depart with their cash. The revenue gap between the two leading OSes looks unlikely to close over the next 18 months.”
While smartphones currently account for the majority of app revenues, ABI Research suggests that tablets are catching up fast and will overtake smartphones by 2017. They add that tablet users are more willing to spend more for apps because they offer “larger screen size and better user experience for gaming and reading.”
Source : ABI Research