App Store Increases Revenue Lead Over Google Play in Q1 2015

Apple's App Store increased its revenue lead by 10 percentage points over Google's Play Store in the first quarter of 2015, according to the latest numbers from App Annie obtained by The Wall Street Journal. The App Store's revenue was also almost 70% higher than the Play Store, despite Google Play receiving 70% more app downloads during the three-month period ending March.

App Store Google Play Q1 15
Apple's increased App Store revenue helped it reverse a trend that saw Google Play slowly catch up in revenue over recent quarters, although the Play Store continued to widen its lead in overall downloads. Apple previously held about a 60% advantage in App Store revenues over Google Play during the third quarter of 2014, but that figure rose to about 70% in Q1 2015 on the strength of the United States and China.

"China was a bright spot for Apple – mirroring the strong market share gains that the iPhone made in the country. Apple’s larger-screen iPhone 6 and 6 Plus proved immensely popular in the Chinese market where consumers prefer bigger display smartphones.

In the first quarter of 2015, China passed the U.S. as the top country for iOS app downloads, App Annie said. China still trails the U.S. and Japan for App Store revenue. The Google Play store does not operate officially in mainland China."

The disparity between the App Store and Google Play in terms of overall revenue and downloads is a longstanding trend between the iOS and Android storefronts. A number of popular developers turn to the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch because Apple's ecosystem provides a more lucrative opportunity for earnings, while Google Play receives more downloads because there are significantly more Android users worldwide.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

'New' iPhone SE Product Listing Appears on French Website

Wednesday February 12, 2025 6:49 am PST by
As the wait continues for Apple's long-rumored, fourth-generation iPhone SE, French electronics retailer Boulanger has prematurely published a product listing for a "new" model of the iPhone SE. The placeholder page says the device is "coming soon," but it offers no further information, and the price shown is obviously not real. The listing was spotted by a reader of the French technology...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro With All-New Camera Bar Design Allegedly Revealed

Thursday February 13, 2025 5:49 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro will feature three rear cameras arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but the cameras will be housed in an all-new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, according to YouTube channel Front Page Tech. iPhone 17 Pro camera design render created by Asher for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser said the camera ...
M4 Mac mini Apple Video

Apple's Refurbished Mac Mini Pricing Has a Problem

Thursday February 13, 2025 6:20 am PST by
Apple this week began selling refurbished Mac mini models with the M4 chip for the first time, but this has led to a pricing conundrum. In the United States, Apple is offering a refurbished Mac mini with the base M4 chip, 256GB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and Gigabit Ethernet for $509, down from $599 new. This is the standard 15% discount that Apple offers on refurbished Macs. The issue is...
M4 mini Glowing Blue

Apple Begins Selling Refurbished M4 Macs

Wednesday February 12, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today added MacBook Pro and Mac mini models with M4 series chips to its certified refurbished store in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland for the first time since the computers were introduced in October 2024. Some refurbished MacBook Pro models with M4 chips are also available in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and select other European countries. ...
iPhone 16 Apple Store

iPhone 17 in New Sizes This Year: What to Know

Thursday February 13, 2025 2:45 am PST by
Last year, Apple tweaked iPhone 16 Pro screen sizes to make them bigger than 2023's iPhone 15 Pro models, and this year we are also expecting a change in the size of the displays in the iPhone 17 lineup. Here's what we know. Standard iPhone 17 Apple could introduce a new display size for the standard iPhone 17 model in 2025. The iPhone 17 could measure in at 6.3 inches, up from 6.1 inches,...
Apple Ad on X

Apple Resumes Advertising on X

Wednesday February 12, 2025 2:18 pm PST by
Apple this month started advertising on X for the first time in more than a year. The company had stopped advertising on the social media platform in November 2023 following controversial remarks made by its owner Elon Musk. For example, the @Apple account is running an ad promoting Safari's privacy features. The ad was spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The @AppleTV account has a...

Top Rated Comments

KdParker Avatar
128 months ago
To a developer...this is old news. Makes converting apps to work with Android not worth the time and effort.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
k995 Avatar
128 months ago
To a developer...this is old news. Makes converting apps to work with Android not worth the time and effort.

Yeah google has a what? 7 billion $ market? "If it aint got double digit in billions it aint worth it" , am I right or what?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jsameds Avatar
128 months ago
I can't wait to tell all of my friends!!! :p
I'm gonna tell all of mine too.


Wait a second I don't have any friends.. Well I did, but then I started talking about marketshare, profit margins and taptic feedback and then they all just stopped calling.. Strange.. Where are they..?

Anyway, one of them had a really cute nickname. We called him Applescruff because when he ate fruit he'd get it all over his facHEY WAIT A MINUTE IS THAT YOU??! YOU BETRAYED ME! YOU BETRAYED MMMEEEHHHHHHH!!!!!!

;)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KdParker Avatar
128 months ago
Yeah google has a what? 7 billion $ market? "If it aint got double digit in billions it aint worth it" , am I right or what?

Not when it come to maintaining updates and keep everything working smoothly on all the different flavors for android. Its not like you just convert and release on Google play and your done.

Plain and simple there is just a better ROI with the Apple Store.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TechZeke Avatar
128 months ago
In other words, Android users get more things for free while Apple users have to pay more often. When you keep your customers in a walled barrel the shooting is easy...

----------



Right. That's why Android users had 70% more app downloads that Apple users.
Where did you come up with these conclusions? Android has a much high market share, so they will win the downloads game by sheer volume of users. The revenue difference highlights make up of iOS vs Andriod devices and ultimately their user base. The majority of Andriod users are on sub-$200 handsets. Someone on a cheap $50-$100 Andriod smartphone from Alcatel isn't going spend $5-$10 on an advanced featured productivity app, nor are they likely to buy apps in general. They WILL download plenty of free apps, however. Nothing wrong with the people on those devices, I'm just telling it like it is.

Let's stop pretending that every Andriod user is using a Galaxy S6, Galaxy Note 4, HTC One, LG G3, or a Moto X.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Urban Joe Avatar
128 months ago
I always like hearing about this.
Apple has done a great job creating a viable marketplace for developers!
We're all very grateful!!!
In my opinion, a lot mobile apps are actually under priced.
Does anybody remember how much software used to cost back when
Windows ruled the world? I don't get people that complain about app prices. Developers work very hard and deserve to be compensated.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)