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IPhone users more likely to buy apps than Android users

Consumers on the Android and iPhone platforms continue to be actively engaged with applications, according to AdMob?s January 2010 AdMob Mobile Metrics Report.

Consumers who use iPhone and Android devices showed remarkably similar activity levels ? downloading approximately the same total number of applications and spending approximately the same amount of time using them. However, iPhone users continue to download more paid applications, with 50 percent of users purchasing at least one paid application a month compared to 21 percent of Android users.

?This month?s report was different than the previous report as we conducted a user survey to identify user behavior and usage trends across the iPhone, Android and webOS applications,? said Mike Fyall, manager of product marketing for AdMob, San Mateo, CA.

?We ran our first app survey six months ago,? he said. ?In this report, we added users of webOS to the survey and found that they download fewer apps than iPhone and Android users and also are less likely to recommend their device to others. 

?Also, we added a question on intent to purchase and found that 16% percent of iPhone users said they intend to purchase an iPad, compared to 11 percent of webOS users and only 6 percent of Android users.?

The mobile Internet device category has grown rapidly, according to AdMob.

In July 2009 approximately 12 percent of requests in AdMob?s network came from these non-phone devices compared to approximately 17 percent in January 2010. 

The survey asked consumers if they currently own a mobile Internet device or intend to purchase one in the next six months.

IPhone users showed the highest level of interest in purchasing an iPad, at 16 percent, compared to 11 percent of webOS users and only six percent of Android users.

Approximately the same percentage of Android users were interested in purchasing the Amazon Kindle as were interested in purchasing the iPad.

Highlights from the survey and the January 2010 AdMob Mobile Metrics Report include:

? 91 percent of iPhone users and 88 percent of iPod touch users would recommend their device, compared to 84 percent of Android users and 69 percent of webOS users.

? iPod touch owners download an average of 12 applications a month, 37 percent more than iPhone and Android users who download approximately nine new apps. webOS users downloaded an average of six applications per month.

? iPod touch users spent an average of 100 minutes per day using applications. webOS users spent an average of 87 minutes per day, followed by Android users at 80 minutes and iPhone users at 79 minutes per day.

? 73 percent of Android users are male, compared to only 56 percent of iPhone OS users. The average iPhone user is 14 years older than the average iPod touch user of which 78 percent are below the age of 24.

? iPhone represented 47 percent of US smartphone usage in AdMob?s network in January 2010, followed by Android, RIM and webOS devices at 39, seven, and three percent, respectively.

?This tracking period differs from previous reports as we examined consumer behavior through opt-in survey results which show activity across multiple platforms in the AdMob network,? Mr. Fyall said. ?The behavioral and demographic insights taken from the self reported survey provide additional context to the traffic trends we report on each month.?