According to data from a survey held by independent app store provider GetJar, demand for Android handsets has grown significantly, to the point where twice as many people will consider their next phone to run Google’s OS than Apple’s iOS.
According to GetJar, almost 40 percent of respondents said they will switch to Android for their next phone, compared to the 18 percent who said they would like to switch to the iPhone.
Of course, there are only a handful iPhone models with relatively steep prices, and hundreds of Android devices – ranging from very cheap to massively overpriced – but let’s not get things like the competitive landscape and distinct business strategies get in the way of a good story.
As always, please consider the source. As GetJar notes in its own press release, the company plans to “aggressively expand its offering to Android publishers in order to secure its position as the premier ‘open’ Android Market alternative”, so it is evidently in their best interest to market Android as a great alternative for the iPhone.
I’m not saying that isn’t the case (it all boils down to your needs and purchasing power) but you can see why GetJar is so keen on spreading survey results that predict a bright future for Android. Remember, they just raised $25 million to support their above-mentioned strategy.
GetJar also noted, unsurprisingly for anyone paying attention, that app usage is on the rise with the survey results showing almost 34 percent of consumers spending one hour or more using apps per day, compared to 49 percent who spend the same amount of time watching television. Fifty-eight percent of survey respondents use mobile apps more than once a day.
Other unsurprising survey results include:
– Gaming apps are the most popular, followed closely by social networking apps
– The amount of free apps and the ease of search topped the list of things users look for in an app store
– The cost of an app was the biggest deciding factor in whether to download an app or not
GetJar did not specify the research methodology or scope in the press statement.
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