VisionMobile is a research company that helps clients track mobile developer trends and design digital business models. Some key insights from their research include:
- HTML5 is now commonly used beyond mobile browsers in frameworks like Cordova. Java and Objective-C remain most preferred for native development.
- Over 40% of iOS and Android developers use non-native languages, with hybrid apps being most popular.
- Only 1.6% of mobile developers earn significantly more than the average, with many earning less than $500 per app per month.
- Enterprise apps may be the next lucrative sector, with iOS currently dominating that market.
- Game developers struggle to earn revenue, with 57% making less than $500 per
5. Copyright!2014!VisionMobile!
The iOS-
Android
platforms wars
are now
on a local level
The Android and iOS duopoly
commands the attention of both
developers and consumers and will
remain unchanged.
The platform wars are now played
on a local level. iOS dominates
developer preference in the
Americas, while Android
dominates in Middle East and Asia.
Europe is tied.
1
6.
7. Copyright!2014!VisionMobile!
2
The future of
HTML5 is now
firmly beyond
the browser.
HTML, CSS and JavaScript is the
top ranking language used by 42%
of app developers. Yet only 15% of
app devs target mobile browsers.
The others use a variety of
frameworks such as Cordova.
Java and Objective-C command the
most developer preference, with
HTML5 used mostly as a secondary
language.
8.
9. Copyright!2014!VisionMobile!
3
To go native or
not to?
A surprisingly high 47% of iOS
developers and 42% of Android
developers are using something
other than the native language on
their platforms.
Hybrid apps are the most popular
non-native option for building
Android and iOS apps, used by 13%
of developers, typically created by
tools such as Cordova.
11. Copyright!2014!VisionMobile!
4
the
disappearing
middle class of
mobile app
developers
There are 2.9million mobile app
developers.
50% of iOS developers and 64% of
Android developers are below the
‘app poverty line” of $500 per app
per month.
Just 1.6% of developers make
multiples of the other 98.4%
combined.
13. Copyright!2014!VisionMobile!
5
The next gold
rush:
Enterprise apps
67% of mobile app developers
primarily target consumers, 11%
target professionals directly and
16% of developers target
enterprises
Those targeting enterprises are
twice as likely to be earning over
$5k per app per month and nearly
3 times as likely to earn over $25k.
The early platform winner here is
iOS, with Apple claiming adoption
by 98% of the Fortune 500
15. Copyright!2014!VisionMobile!
6
33% of
developers
make games but
57% of those
games make less
than $500 per
month
The large number of games with
high quality free content makes
getting noticed with a new free title
difficult. At the same time they are
destroying the market for pay-per-
download games. The result is that
57% of game developers intending
to generate revenue make less than
$500 per app per month, i.e. fall
under the app poverty line
17. Copyright!2014!VisionMobile!
7
There’s a strong
correlation
between tool use
and revenues,
the more tools a
developer uses,
the more money
they make
Despite the obvious link, our
findings indicate the use of tools is
declining. 26% of developers that
are interested in making money
don’t use any third party tools. Of
those developers, 79% make less
than $500 per app per month. 12
months ago only 14% of developers
were not using any third party
tools.
19. Copyright!2014!VisionMobile!
8
Adoption of iOS
amongst
Explorers and
particularly
Hobbyists is
limited, while
the opposite is
true for
Windows Phone
Adoption of iOS amongst Explorers
and particularly Hobbyists is
limited - this is largely by design on
Apple’s part. It’s not possible to
test iOS apps on a real device
without signing up for a $99/year
developer program membership.
Apple’s App Store review policies
also actively discourage “amateur
hour” warning of rejection for apps
that are not up to the expected
standard.
21. Copyright!2014!VisionMobile!
6
Developer tool
choices in
North America
Globally Ad Networks is the most
popular developer tool/service
category.
In North America, it comes second,
topped by Cloud Computing
services such as Amazon AWS,
Google App Engine and Microsoft
Azure.
23. Copyright!2014!VisionMobile!
7
North America:
Advertising
most popular
revenue model,
e-Commerce
most lucrative
Free apps with in-app purchases is
the most popular revenue model
following advertising but with
higher median revenues at $275
per month per month.
e-Commerce continues to rank as
highest-grossing revenue model at
$4,250 per month per month.
25. Questions? Get in touch with us!
mark wilcox
Senior Business analyst
Mark@visionmobile.com
Christina voskoglou
Data & operations manager
Christina@visionmobile.co
m
Matos kapetanakis
marketing manager
matos@visionmobile.com
26. About VisionMobile
VisionMobile is the leading research company on the apps
economy and mobile business models. Our research helps clients
track app developer trends and master mobile business models.
The firm is best known for its semi-annual industry report series,
“Developer Economics”, which provides benchmarking of
developer attitudes, trends and monetization by region.
Developer Economics is now the largest, most global research on
the apps economy, currently surveying over 10,000+ mobile apps
developers worldwide.
To find out more, visit www.visionmobile.com
28. Knowledge. Passion. Innovation.
Andreas Constantinou
CEO & Principal Analyst
andreas@visionmobile.com
+44 20 8123 1738
Track developer trends Learn DIGITAL Business Models
Master the
success patterns
of ecosystem
leaders and
design effective
digital business
models
Developer Economics 2014 6th ed.
Talk
to us
Work
With us
If you could
speak to
10,000 app
developers,
what would
you ask them?