The median iPhone app user earns $85,000 per year, which is 40 percent more than the median Android phone user with an annual income of $61,000, comScore’s “U.S. Mobile App Report,” study reports. On average, iPhone users engage with their smartphone apps for nine more hours in a given month than Android users.
comScore’s “U.S. Mobile App Report” shares key findings and insights into the fast-growing mobile app landscape. The graphics presented below are two of many from the report, which includes data on mobile app growth, user habits, platform comparisons, content category skews, demographic information and much more.
For more insights into the fast-growing mobile app landscape, download a complimentary copy of “The U.S. Mobile App Report” here.
MacDailyNews Take: Everyone knows that Android is the poor man’s iPhone.
As we explained nearly two years ago:
Android is pushed to users who are, in general:
a) confused about why they should be choosing an iPhone over an inferior knockoff and therefore might be less prone to understand/explore their devices’ capabilities or trust their devices with credit card info for shopping; and/or
b) enticed with “Buy One Get One Free,” “Buy One, Get Two or More Free,” or similar offers.Neither type of customer is the cream of the crop when it comes to successful engagement or coveted demographics; closer to the bottom of the barrel than the top, in fact. Android can be widespread and still demographically inferior precisely because of the way in which and to whom Android devices are marketed. Unending BOGO promos attract a seemingly unending stream of cheapskate freetards just as inane, pointless TV commercials about robots or blasting holes in concrete walls attract meatheads and dullards, not exactly the best demographics unless you’re peddling muscle-building powders or grease monkey overalls.
Google made a crucial mistake: They gave away Android to “partners” who pushed and continue to push the product into the hands of the exact opposite type of user that Google needs for Android to truly thrive. Hence, Android is a backwater of second-rate, or worse, app versions that are only downloaded when free or ad-supported – but the Android user is notoriously cheap, so the ads don’t sell for much because they don’t work very well. You’d have guessed that Google would have understood this, but you’d have guessed wrong.
Google built a platform that depends heavily on advertising support, but sold it to the very type of customer who’s the least likely to patronize ads.
iOS users are the ones who buy apps, so developers focus on iOS users. iOS users buy products, so accessory makers focus on iOS users. iOS users have money and the proven will to spend it, so vehicle makers focus on iOS users. Etcetera. Android can have the “Hee Haw” demographic. Apple doesn’t want it or need it; it’s far more trouble than it’s worth. – MacDailyNews, November 26, 2012
Google’s going to rue the day they got greedy by deciding to try to work against Apple instead of with them. – MacDailyNews, March 9, 2010
Related articles:
Yet more proof that Android is for poor people – June 27, 2014
More proof that Android is for poor people – May 13, 2014
Apple’s iOS dominates in richer countries, Android in poorer regions – March 25, 2014
Why Apple’s iPhone keeps raking in the majority of mobile phone profits – March 19, 2014
Apple dominates with 60% share of mobile phone profits – March 18, 2014
Android has the most unit share, but Apple dominates profit share, making more money than all Android smartphone makers combined – November 15, 2013
Android users poorer, shorter, unhealthier, less educated, far less charitable than Apple iPhone users – November 13, 2013
IDC data shows two thirds of Android’s 81% smartphone share are cheap junk phones – November 13, 2013
Android phones 3 times more likely than Apple iPhones to have been bought at discount store – August 22, 2013
CIRP: Apple iPhone users are younger, richer, and better educated than those who settle for Samsung knockoff phones – August 19, 2013
Twitter heat map shows iPhone use by the affluent, Android by the poor – June 20, 2013
iPhone users smarter, richer than Android phone users – August 16, 2011
Yankee Group: Apple iPhone owners shop more, buy more, remain more loyal vs. other device users – July 20, 2010
Study: Apple iPhone users richer, younger, more productive than other so-called ‘smartphone’ users – June 12, 2009
I’m surprised the median Android user’s income is even that high.
I am surprised as well. I didn’t think they had any income at all. 🙂
There needs to be an IQ survey as well.
haha
How about an IQ chart?
Awful journalism, ridiculous argument. You might as well argue that more iPhone users swear spandex, shop at Starbucks, drive BMWs and only drink fancy cocktails.
Pretentiousness. and Mac Daddy just shows himself as being a biased fan-boi – ugh.
It’s simply the data. All of the data from multiple studies shows the Android user demographics are horrible vs. iOS.
There’s nothing “biased” about it. It’s simply fact. More info:
http://macdailynews.com/2013/11/13/android-users-poorer-shorter-unhealthier-less-educated-far-less-charitable-than-apple-iphone-users/
Certainly, one must be mentally impaired to settle for a poor Korean knockoff over the original innovator’s superior products. It’s only logical.
Suck it, settler.
Yes these are meaningless stats. You believe for one minute that Apple isn’t trying to draw from all demographics. That’s what made Steve Jobs such powerful Sorcerer. He was a master at making people buy things they can’t afford.
Sceptical, you just don’t get it. The demographics show that people who buy iPhones have more income than people who buy Android mobile phones. That implies that they are more likely to afford a superior product and receive superior value from it. And there are indeed other studies that show that iPhone users are more satisfied by their purchase than are Android owners.
Higher relative income has never ever implied that “they are more likely to afford a superior product and receive superior value from it”.
All things being equal, a higher relative income merely means that the relative price sensitivity to higher priced products is reduced. Think about it for a while — it is quite different than what you said.
The thing is, all things are not equal. Android sells across a much wider price range and has a greater number of customers in more countries of the world, on a greater number of carriers. Moreover, our pro-Apple bias leads us to believe that all iPhones are more valuable than all Android products. But that’s simply not true — many Android users aren’t settling, they can afford either platform easily. Often they place high value in hardware or software features that Apple refuses to offer.. Each user has to make his own value determination. Let’s be real about relative value too — it’s mostly the apps that make the device. The best OS is the one that gets out of the way of the app and let’s the user get things done. So even if we find iOS superior ourselves, the reality is that app quality is a much more important factor to many people — and practically all the same apps are now available on both platforms. So again, the statistics essentially show only that Android sells across a GREATER RANGE of buyers, which of course includes many more lower-end phone buyers. Despite what you and I believe to be so, these stats DO NOT prove that iOS customers are getting better value, nor does it imply that Apple has the power to raise its prices. If it attempted to do so, many well-heeled users would indeed look at the alternatives. The only meaningful comparison when it comes to phones is if a specific model of iPhone is compared to the closest equivalent competitor phones on the same network in the same country, noting of course model life cycle and promotions that could skew valuation. Then we can start making inferences about what people with extra spending cash prefer. Some prefer the fastest CPU performance, others prefer shiny gold things like THe $24,750 Porsche Design P9981 Blackberry phone.
You have just described me! I Love Starbucks, drive an M3 Convertible, and love fancy drinks.
It is an odd statistic. You could also say you have to earn significantly more to be able to afford an iPhone and the plans.
The title should be: “People who buy more expensive things earn significantly more that those who settle for less expensive things.”
I am a huge believer in Apple’s quality advantage, but even if Apple’s products were simply fashionable and more expensive the title would still be true. It doesn’t mean much.
Now if a study showed Apple iPhone users increased their income more after purchasing their phone than Android users, that would be significant. Or something else were there was a cause-effect actually related to something besides price.
“It doesn’t mean much.”
True for some. It does matter though if you are a developer and want to make money or if you are a credit card company and want to participate in a mobile payment system that gives you the greatest bank for your buck or if (on and on)….
“bang for your buck” not “bank for your buck”. Sorry.
You are right, people who can afford iPhones are more likely to spend more on apps, and that is meaningful as you say.
I their take above, MacDailyNews explained very clearly why these demographics are important:
iOS users are the ones who buy apps, so developers focus on iOS users. iOS users buy products, so accessory makers focus on iOS users. iOS users have money and the proven will to spend it, so vehicle makers focus on iOS users. Etcetera.
those that can afford iPhones
can ALSO afford top of the line androids.
They just decide they don’t want to.
It’s cute and all that the focus is on the dead simple thing to measure: Wealth.
But I contend that money is NOT relevant to Apple products. It’s INTELLIGENCE. It’s the ability to SPEND WISELY rather than herd spending or buying cheap because one is too ignorant about QUALITY to know better.
Apple gear is consistently the LEAST expensive available specifically because:
– It does more.
– It lasts longer.
– It’s efficient to use.
– It’s user-friendly, versus stressful to use.
– It requires the least further investment in order to profit from using the device.
All of this is encapsulated in the two concepts of:
1) Return On Investment (ROI), which Apple rulz.
2) Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), where Apple is the lowest.
All of this applies to iOS gear. Apparently being able to comprehend and use this QUALITY information corresponds with being able to provide one’s self with wealth.
Or, so contend I.
Totally agree, DC.
How many people that buy Android phones figure out that they got poor value-for-their-money? Particularly when considering 2-year carrier service contract charges, which include: (1) fees for the installment-plan purchase of their Android device, and (2) phone & cellular data service. And also accounting for other important things, like: security, privacy, and (in time) trade-in value. Not to mention the pride of ownership and the pleasure of supporting true innovators rather than cheap knock-offs.
When I see studies like this, I wonder just how they came by income data for phone users. I *never* answer a retailer’s or a survey taker’s question on income.
I don’t make as much as those Android owners! I own 2 iPads, iPhone 4s,5s,6+, Apple TV & plan to buy an iPad plus (Apple Pad) & Apple Watch! I just spend my money on security & quality products!
I’m asking for a raise.