Apple isn’t unknown for its love of crowing about its own success. But in the case of its latest App Store successes, it’s perhaps unsurprising.
Its add–on emporium has just enjoyed its best day ever, with half a billion dollars spent on apps and in–app purchases on New Year’s Day.
Throw in the fact that developers earned $10 billion in 2014 from apps, with billings up 50%, and it’s no shock that Apple is so keen to tell the world about its success.
Despite the year being just a week old, Apple is already way out in front in the smartphone game in 2015.
Stats from analysts Kantar show its smartphone share is growing fast, with numbers for September to November last year showing a rise in iOS usage all over the globe.
In the States, Apple is now just 1% behind Android, while here in the UK it saw a 12.1% surge in users, thanks largely to the launch of its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
This will all make worrying reading for Samsung, which is about to relaunch its smartphone line-up in a bid to turn itself around after a disastrous 2014.
And they won’t be the only ones concerned. Mobile-makers such as Sony, LG and HTC are being squeezed too.
The issue for all of these major rivals is that they’re not getting in on the app money which Apple is making.
The fact that Google makes the operating system for their devices and delivers apps via its Play Store means that making money from smartphones is getting harder for them.
Designs are now utilitarian and the need to upgrade regularly is diminishing as software updates improve.
That’s not to say the App Store is a great white hope for everyone. Developers may have earned $10 billion in revenue, but profits are likely to be lower.
Speak to those behind the best looking independent games and apps and they’ll tell you that breaking even is the best they can hope for.
Meanwhile, Apple is skimming off 30% of app earnings to add to its huge stockpile of cash.
But the fact that developing for iOS is made easy by Apple and that its App Store is heavily policed means that users are happy to spend big in order to get the latest and best add–ons.
Apps on Google Play aren’t bad, far from it, but the more unified approach of Apple means buying an iPhone or iPad and loading it up with extras is more appealing for many.
For a long time many have predicted Apple would face big challenges from Google, Samsung and others.
But these numbers show that in the face of growing competition, it’s still way out in front.
