Google Play Downloads Passed App Store Downloads For the First Time in Q2

mib1800 said:

Don't forget there are hundreds of app stores for android and you can sideload apps as well. In places like China very few download from Google play.

So actual download quantum is much much higher than ios.

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As been said before, "downloads" means little in terms of boasting an app store's success. Me and a few friends could, in theory, spend hundreds of hours downloading every "free" app on Apple's App Store if we simply wanted to inflate Apple's download numbers. Since they are all free, it costs us nothing (except wasted time). Downloads is an idiotic measurement.

The sales revenue (let's say in millions of dollars) of a given app/online store is a much better metric, and one that is more relevant to a platform's financial monetization success.

Solomani said:

As been said before, "downloads" means little in terms of boasting an app store's success. Me and a few friends could, in theory, spend hundreds of hours downloading every "free" app on Apple's App Store if we simply wanted to inflate Apple's download numbers. Since they are all free, it costs us nothing (except wasted time). Downloads is an idiotic measurement.

The sales revenue (let's say in millions of dollars) of a given app/online store is a much better metric, and one that is more relevant to a platform's financial monetization success.

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But sales revenue means nothing to usage or popularity. There are many free apps on android which you have to pay in apple app store. Also android apps use ad as revenue much more than ios.

We have only seen revenue comparison for Google play and apple app store. What about the hundreds of other Android app stores revenue which did not get tallied.

mib1800 said:

But sales revenue means nothing to usage or popularity.

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It might mean nothing to usage or popularity, but sales revenue means a lot to the developers (do you think they make apps just to be charitable?), as well as the app stores themselves (Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store, etc).

mib1800 said:

Also android apps use ad as revenue much more than ios.

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OK, I will concede on this point. You are correct that Android (and Google in particular) is very dependent on ad revenue, hence even the "free app" downloads could eventually translate into ad-based revenue. But it's no use debating this now, unless there is some really good research study on how much these ad-based free apps translate into advertising dollars.

Solomani said:

It might mean nothing to usage or popularity, but sales revenue means a lot to the developers (do you think they make apps just to be charitable?), as well as the app stores themselves (Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store, etc).

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You are right in saying that developers are likely to make more money in app store.

One consolation for android that most apps in app store will make it to android sooner or later. And maybe at a cheaper price or free. In other words the apple users are partly subsiding the price of android apps that Android users pay. Have you ever thought of that?

OK, I will concede on this point. You are correct that Android (and Google in particular) is very dependent on ad revenue, hence even the "free app" downloads could eventually translate into ad-based revenue. But it's no use debating this now, unless there is some really good research study on how much these ad-based free apps translate into advertising dollars.

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Like you say google is about ad. And it makes lots of money this way.

mib1800 said:

Don't forget there are hundreds of app stores for android and you can sideload apps as well. In places like China very few download from Google play.

So actual download quantum is much much higher than ios.

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On fact there is no Google Play Store on China

appleisking said:

Not surprising. There has been a huge exodus to android over the last few years. An increasing user-base attracts more devs, thus more apps.

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Exodus eh? Please provide your source.

pirg said:

Exodus eh? Please provide your source.

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Read through the thread before making a comment and then you won't make needless posts like that. I clarified my point later on.

big deal! android community is way bigger than apple's this was inevitable, i'm just surprised that it took them so much time to beat apple.

quantity never matters, it the quality that matters. nuff said

thisisdallas said:

Angry Birds for example, is only able to be played with ads. I couldn't find an ad free version as with iOS. I don't really care about angry birds, but as for my cousin who absolutely loves the game, those ads are terrible. Do you know how many times he accidentally tapped the ad and got completely lost on what he was doing?

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Then tell him to get the new Angry Birds. Both available AD free.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rovio.angrybirdsspace.premium

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rovio.angrybirdsstarwarshd.premium.iap

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rovio.angrybirdsspaceHD

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otismotive77 said:

big deal! android community is way bigger than apple's this was inevitable, i'm just surprised that it took them so much time to beat apple.

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I'm not. Apple had a considerable head start.

It is pointless to argue and depart these number, because they are liquid and will change again.

Squilly said:

That's still very impressive, being that Apple has more market share than Google. Props to you Play Store.

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Are you crazy?

Android has 80% of market share. Apple only 13.

Wake up.