App Store Projected to Claim 75% of App Download Market in 2011

164201 isuppli app store 2011 projections

Research firm IHS iSuppli today released its projections for the performance of mobile application marketplaces in 2011, predicting that overall revenues will rise nearly 78% this year to $3.9 billion. Of that figure, Apple's App Store is expected to snag 76% or $2.91 billion on 63.4% growth over 2010.

To no one's surprise, the Apple App Store continues to head off all competition. Projected figures for the Apple App Store this year call for revenue of $2.91 billion, up 63.4 percent from $1.78 billion in 2010. Given that Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPod and iPad are the market leaders in their field, the company's App Store is expected to take in 76 percent of revenue this year and retain 60 percent market share by 2014, despite efforts by the other stores to match Apples ability to monetize its users, IHS believes.

Apple also will lead the way with revenue gained from in-app purchases - or additional purchases made within a paid application, such as bonus game levels - which will serve as a key growth driver for revenue up to 2014.

Android is expected to continue its surge this year with nearly 300% growth to become the second-largest app marketplace after the App Store, but Android's projected revenue of $425 million will still fall far short of Apple's nearly $3 billion figure. Research in Motion's BlackBerry App World and Nokia's Ovi Store fill out the top four with expected revenues in the $200-300 million range.

Looking further ahead, IHS iSuppli sees the app download market reaching $8.3 billion in 2014, more than doubling the projected 2011 performance. Apple is still projected to maintain a majority share of the market, albeit at a slightly lower 60% share. Still, that performance would put Apple's App Store revenue at $5 billion in 2014.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Neutral)
Related Forums: iPad, iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...

Top Rated Comments

marksman Avatar
191 months ago
What do people with Android phones do? Just look at their lock screens all day?

We always see how many more android devices there are but the App Store dominates app sales by a huge margin, which means the average number of apps bought by an android user vs an iOS user must be massively out of whack.


60% growth vs. 300% growth, Apple better be worried about this. Sure, they are in the drivers seat now, but Android has the momentum of a bulldozer going 100 MPH, whereas the iOS app market has that of a 1986 Yugo going 30 MPH.
Yes at these rates Android will catch up to Apple in 7 or 8 years. Of course to do that Android will have to be on 10 billion devices, so much like a pyramid scheme, it becomes mathematically impossible for Android to surpass iOS in app store purchases.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LagunaSol Avatar
191 months ago
What do people with Android phones do? Just look at their lock screens all day?
Google Maps. And widgets. Lots of widgets. And, um....yeah, that's about it.

an app to waste a dollar on
^^ And here we have Google's problem. Cheapskate Android users. ^^

A whole dollar?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wovel Avatar
191 months ago
60% growth vs. 300% growth, Apple better be worried about this. Sure, they are in the drivers seat now, but Android has the momentum of a bulldozer going 100 MPH, whereas the iOS app market has that of a 1986 Yugo going 30 MPH.
Way to cherry pick a quote and totally take it out of context...


Did you even read the article?



If Apple has a 60% marketshare by 2014, as this group suggest, then I think it will take less than the 7 to 8 years you think it will
It is quite clear you didn't. Nothing in the Article suggests Apple will ever surrender the market share lead, and it is quite clear they will never give up the revenue lead...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
santaliqueur Avatar
191 months ago
60% growth vs. 300% growth, Apple better be worried about this. Sure, they are in the drivers seat now, but Android has the momentum of a bulldozer going 100 MPH, whereas the iOS app market has that of a 1986 Yugo going 30 MPH.

Oh, the car analogies. And it's totally shocking you favor Android. TOTALLY SHOCKING.

Percentage growth? Easy to have large percentage numbers when you are far behind. If there's a new player in the game, it's incredibly easy to post 1,000% gains, because they are starting from almost nothing. Just like Android :)

Your act is growing tiresome. I keep you unblocked now that I can see how many negative votes you get on the forums.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
danredwing Avatar
191 months ago
60% growth vs. 300% growth, Apple better be worried about this. Sure, they are in the drivers seat now, but Android has the momentum of a bulldozer going 100 MPH, whereas the iOS app market has that of a 1986 Yugo going 30 MPH.


The analogy that you've given makes no sense. This discussion is about app stores and profitability. Apple is dominating this market because although there are more Android devices out there, there is a greater perception of value in the App store and a corresponding shelling out of cash toward Apple.

Apple has always been about producing and shipping quality products that are profitable as opposed to the licensing model of Android which is focused on shipping massive numbers of devices which will point users towards Google and their ad based revenue model.

Android device users don't spend much money on
1. Their device
2. Apps
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
santaliqueur Avatar
191 months ago
Remember that the iPhone didn't support ANY apps until the iPhone 3G came out. What did THEY do?

They certainly didn't have to listen to Fandroids all day.

The first release of Android was over 3 months after the iPhone 3G, and 15 months after the initial iPhone. And the early Android phones? ZOMG OPEN SOURCE! I WANT ONE (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Android_mobile_phone_platform_early_device.jpg)!

Remember how much phones sucked before the iPhone? Yeah me neither.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)