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iPhone Owners in US Spent $40 Each on Apps in 2016 (cnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the how-we-shop dept.

Zoey Chong, writing for CNET: iPhone users in the US are spending more and more on apps and in-app purchases. Spending climbed to an average of $40 per person last year, according to research released Monday by Sensor Tower. This is up from $35 in 2015. Gaming continued to lead the way, accounting for more than 80 percent of Apple App Store revenue in the US. Spending in that category increased from $25 on average per person in 2015 to $27 last year. This may not be the biggest surprise, given that 2016 witnessed the rise of Pokemon Go, which crossed $1 billion in revenue worldwide last month.

4 of 131 comments (clear)

  1. Witness the Wastelandroid by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I thought $40 on average seemed about right, given the explosion of in-app purchases for not just games, but apps like HBO... (don't forget the AppleTV is an IOS device). I myself probably spent more like $200 last year on iOS app store purchase (which include subscription to HBO for a few months).

    However look at the other responses here, proclaiming how proud they are to have spent $0! Is there any wonder why Android continues to be a second tier when it comes to app development? It makes you question if there is any use at all in ever developing an app for Android if what you get out of it is to be anything but breadth of exposure.

    I myself am proud to spend money on apps and help support a sustainable app ecosystem where I will see real improvements to apps because people are willing to spend money...

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Witness the Wastelandroid by gatfirls · · Score: 3, Insightful

      That's just silly. You aren't taking into consideration that Android OS covers the most cheap bare bones phones/tables/etc to the comparable galaxy/etc devices.

      To make an analogy its like saying Tesla drivers spend more on Starbucks than GM drivers do. Tesla only sells relatively expensive cars while GM runs the gamut and the lower end sells much more than the higher end. A Tesla entry point is ~70K a GM is ~12k, and both top out in the 100K+ range.

      I can't seem to find any numbers of like-priced devices but I will bet the numbers are probably in the +/-5% range either way.

  2. Re:Must be rich people by OzPeter · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Who the fuck spends $40 on apps?

    Yeah. That's really stupid paying that much money for Apps.

    Now how much was my phone contract for the year again????

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  3. Re:Not me by rsmith-mac · · Score: 4, Insightful

    My grand total of app expenditures for all of 2016 was ZERO.
    I haven't even spent a dime on Pokemon Go and I play it daily.

    Is that really something to be proud of, though? You spent $500+ on an iPhone, and then rejoice in not paying anything for the software you use daily?

    This current environment of ad-supported nonsense is why smartphone games are such poor games (and such good Skinner boxes). And I fear studies like this just further adds to the stereotype that smartphone owners are cheap bastards.