Android’s app store to top Apple’s

By Barry Eitel

SAN FRANCISCO

More revenue will be made by Android app stores than Apple’s App Store for the first time, an analytics report released Wednesday predicts.

The report App Annie forecasts that more money will be spent this year in app stores for Android devices, which are powered by Google software, than for Apple device apps.

App Annie, however, included third-party Android app stores and the official Google Play store in its prediction.

With App Annie forecasting that Apple’s App Store will generate more than $60 billion in revenue in 2021, it will remain in its top position as the highest-grossing app store.

Google Play is expected to pull in $42 billion that year, with third-party Android stores generating another $36 billion.

Overall, App Annie expects the app market to continue to boom as markets across the globe mature.

What consumers spend on mobile apps is anticipated to grow 33 percent in 2017 to $82.2 billion. By 2021, more than $139 billion will be spent, App Annie believes.

By 2021, worldwide app downloads are projected to increase 20 percent per year and eventually pass 350 billion within four years.

"Apps are transforming the way consumers interact with products, services, content and brands, across verticals globally," Danielle Levitas, senior vice president of research at App Annie, said in a statement. "Apps are creating an intimate, highly-personalized environment for brands to engage with users. Consumers are already spending twice as much time in apps than they did two years ago, which means it is increasingly critical for companies to build a successful business on apps if they haven't already."

Android’s app dominance will largely be driven by Chinese consumers, App Annie notes. By 2021, the firm believes there will be eight Chinese Android users for every iPhone owner.