App downloads dominated by Apple?

According to a study carried out by Forrester, although iPhone users regularly download applications, users of other smartphones that also have an app store download less.

While for 21% of Europeans questioned, being able to download apps is reported to be one of the factors that affects purchase, the act of downloading itself isn't as common as you might imagine.

Taking a sample of 25,000 people across Europe, the Forrester study indicates that downloading isn't very widespread. Only 15% of smartphone owners say that they download applications at least once a month, a figure which increases to 64% for iPhone users. Why such a difference between the App Store and the rest (Android Market, Samsung Apps etc.)?

80 app stores worldwide

Since the success of the App Store and the Apple strategy of creating a closed circuit between products and software, such as iPod / iTunes and iPhone / App Store, many other brands have rushed to take advantage of the lucrative smartphone app store sector. Virtual stores are springing up all over the place: Forrester counted eighty recently!

Forrester says on app stores: "a lot of players, such as Microsoft and Samsung, are going to improve their offer, while new arrivals are going to bring significant change. However, few of them will survive in what is a complex and ever-changing market." They continue: "those most likely to succeed control both the operating system and user experience and can extend reach to a wide range of connected devices. This is why we see the market fragmenting further in the short term before entering a consolidation phase."

In the cruel world of new technology, it's not enough just to invent, nor to follow to be guaranteed the same success as the pioneers ...


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