Android Leads App Downloads, But iOS Makes More Money

Google Play is the king of app stores, nabbing the most downloads during the first quarter of the year, but Apple's iOS App Store still makes more money, according to a new report from analytics firm App Annie.

Worldwide downloads from Google Play exceeded iOS App Store downloads by around 45 percent from January to March, up from 35 percent in the previous quarter, the firm said. But when it comes to revenue, the iOS App Store remained "comfortably ahead" raking in 85 percent more money than Google Play.

Even so, the revenue gap between the rival app stores narrowed as Google Play revenue "increased markedly" in the U.S. and the U.K. Emerging markets like Russia, Brazil, Mexico, and Turkey were largely responsible for the uptick in Google Play downloads. Meanwhile, China was the primary market for App Store growth, posting major gains in both downloads and revenue.

"[The] iOS App Store revenue in China grew around 70 percent quarter over quarter," App Annie said in the report.

It's no surprise that games drove the most growth in both stores, accounting for 75 percent of revenue for the App Store and 90 percent on Google Play. But users are also increasingly shelling out money for less exciting apps, like security and finance tools, according to the report. In Google Play, anti-virus apps saw a revenue boost during the quarter while finance programs got a lift among iOS users during tax season in the U.S. (To see which ones you should buy, check out PCMag's roundup of The Best Android Antivirus Apps and Best Mobile Finance Apps.)

Messaging apps also "remained a huge growth area," contributing to gains in Google Play and the App Store following Facebook's $16 billion acquisition of WhatsApp. (Check out our 5 Best Android SMS Replacements.)

App Annie's report only includes data for the iOS App Store and Google Play, and does not provide estimates for the Amazon Appstore or any others. The iOS App Store and Google Play represent a "significant portion" of the app market in many countries, with one exception being China, where a number of third-party Android app stores are popular.

For more, check out The 100 Best Android Apps of 2014 and 100 Best iPhone Apps.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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