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Why iOS apps are more expensive than Android apps?
- Thread starter hajime
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When I used Android device, I did not need to care about the cost as most apps were either free or sold at a very low cost. Looks like I need to check for more user reviews before buying iOS apps.
Do you mean when you're comparing the iOS and Android version of the same app? I've never noticed it when it comes to phone-only apps. How big a difference are you seeing?
In terms of universal apps it's probably justified as developers often don't bother with a tablet-specific user interface for their apps on Android, whereas they have to with iOS universal apps.
Also, its surely the case that on average iPhone users have more spending power than Android users, and some developers probably take advantage of this.
In terms of universal apps it's probably justified as developers often don't bother with a tablet-specific user interface for their apps on Android, whereas they have to with iOS universal apps.
Also, its surely the case that on average iPhone users have more spending power than Android users, and some developers probably take advantage of this.
Over all, it's because most Android users aren't willing to spend as much money.
It may have something to do with the developer programmer pricing that apple charge to sell apps via the app store.
This and the rampant piracy issue on Android - so a lot of Android apps rely on in-app advertising rather than charge for the app.
blah!
i have same paid apps on ios and android - i rarely use any free apps, because i dont like ads - and the quality is same. im sure you can find some apps that are better on ios, but you will also find some apps that are better on android.
Yes, this is what I have heard as well.
I've also seen IAP in iOS apps cost more then what they cost on the same Android app.
Price Discrimination, plain and simple.
"Price discrimination is the practice of setting a different price for the same product in different segments to the market. For example, this can be for different classes, such as ages, or for different opening times."
iPhone users are usually willing to spend more vs Android users. Hence as an app developer you know if you set your price at $5 for an iOS app many users will buy it. Set it at the same $5 on Android and most won't.
It is sort of like gas stations. In upscale neighbourhoods, gas is usually more than in a lower class neighbourhood. (not saying android apps or persons who use android are lower class).
"Price discrimination is the practice of setting a different price for the same product in different segments to the market. For example, this can be for different classes, such as ages, or for different opening times."
iPhone users are usually willing to spend more vs Android users. Hence as an app developer you know if you set your price at $5 for an iOS app many users will buy it. Set it at the same $5 on Android and most won't.
It is sort of like gas stations. In upscale neighbourhoods, gas is usually more than in a lower class neighbourhood. (not saying android apps or persons who use android are lower class).
Simple Answer: World Demographics
80+ percent of the world uses Android in some form or fashion. The majority of those users come from countries where the mean income level is far below that of the industrialized world. Apple has a very low worldwide marketshare, but has high marketshare in 1st world, high mean income countries like Japan, UK, Australia and US. Apple developers are targeting a smaller marketshare of people, but ones with more disposible income. But.....
...as of the end of 2015, the scales have become increasing Android biased. Android has eclipsed iOS in web traffic, as well as advertising-based revenue, and now only lags slightly behind iOS in terms of app sales revenue. In 2013 iOS made 4x the app revenue of Android, as a comparison. (Mind you, this doesn't include revenue from 3rd party Android app stores, like China's Android app store! If it was added in, Android would eclipse iOS revenue by a large margin.)
80+ percent of the world uses Android in some form or fashion. The majority of those users come from countries where the mean income level is far below that of the industrialized world. Apple has a very low worldwide marketshare, but has high marketshare in 1st world, high mean income countries like Japan, UK, Australia and US. Apple developers are targeting a smaller marketshare of people, but ones with more disposible income. But.....
...as of the end of 2015, the scales have become increasing Android biased. Android has eclipsed iOS in web traffic, as well as advertising-based revenue, and now only lags slightly behind iOS in terms of app sales revenue. In 2013 iOS made 4x the app revenue of Android, as a comparison. (Mind you, this doesn't include revenue from 3rd party Android app stores, like China's Android app store! If it was added in, Android would eclipse iOS revenue by a large margin.)
As much as you wish that were true, it isn't. But it's always nice to dream of unicorns and fluffy clouds.
Not really ..
That would only be applicable if pricing was the same throughout the world. It isn't.
An app on the USA playstore is priced differently to one on the Russian of Indian playstore, therefore pricing has already been adjusted to make up for regional demographics, economics, currencies and average salaries...
So the pricing model in one territory has no correlation to others, for the same reason your groceries, clothes, furniture and electronics all cost different prices in different parts of the world. The app store pricing is not set globally but regionally.
The real cause is Piracy. The elephant in the Android room.
The simple truth is that there is a perception for most users these days that media content is somehow a right and theirs to own. That they have a right to it without actually paying for it...
With Android OS's easy ability to sideload apps from anywhere and an abundance of alternative APK sources readily available, piracy is incredibly easy on Android. It's very easy to never have to pay for any app if you don't want to without doing a whole lot about it. With IOS unless jailbroken, piracy is much harder to circumvent.
The fact is as many app developers have already come forward and testified publicly to the agrin of some, that the amount of piracy of their apps on the Android platform is off the scale compared to iOS, the only way they can combat it is to change the way they monetize their apps, and thus has meant a shift to free or reduced price apps but with either more in-app advertising with optional purchase to remove ads, or other in all purchases to supplement the game.
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Hell, you could google the apk for any paid Android app and install it on your less than a minute; w/o jailbreaking your iPhone, that won't be possible.
I do agree that the iOS apps looks MUCH better than Androids, though. Some of Android's app look like they were made for Gingerbread, lol.
I do agree that the iOS apps looks MUCH better than Androids, though. Some of Android's app look like they were made for Gingerbread, lol.
Smaller marketshare and volume so developers have to make up with higher prices on iOS. Another factor is Apple takes a bigger 30% cut of every app purchase.
Apple doesn't publish app download #'s like Google but we can still look at review #'s to get an idea. Compare, for example, the popular Pocket Casts. On iOS it has 1,274 reviews vs Android with 35,828 reviews. That's why developers prefer Android and why Android has better app selection and quality that's not different from software companies targetting the bigger Windows narketshare before OS X. For example, the best Reddit app for iOS, Alien Blue, is considered average compared to the many for Android such as Relay for Reddit, Sync for Reddit, Reddit is Fun, etc.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocket-casts/id414834813?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.shiftyjelly.pocketcasts
Personally, I prefer Podcast Addict but it's not available on iOS.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bambuna.podcastaddict
Apple doesn't publish app download #'s like Google but we can still look at review #'s to get an idea. Compare, for example, the popular Pocket Casts. On iOS it has 1,274 reviews vs Android with 35,828 reviews. That's why developers prefer Android and why Android has better app selection and quality that's not different from software companies targetting the bigger Windows narketshare before OS X. For example, the best Reddit app for iOS, Alien Blue, is considered average compared to the many for Android such as Relay for Reddit, Sync for Reddit, Reddit is Fun, etc.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocket-casts/id414834813?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.shiftyjelly.pocketcasts
Personally, I prefer Podcast Addict but it's not available on iOS.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bambuna.podcastaddict
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pricing has nothing to do with the difference in revenue between iOS and Android apps, since both stores are priced for each countries currency and valuation. It's not like Apple charges $5 in the US and keeps the cost the same in India, while Android doesn't. Your comparison is flawed as you are comparing Apple revenue based on a single pricing scale worldwide to a varied pricing scale for Android, which is not the case. Both stores revenue is varied. It just so happens that Apples apps are bought in 1st world industrialized nations with higher disposable income, since those are the only countries that have any iOS marketshare.
That isn't to say piracy has no effect, as it does. But piracy isn't as rampant as it once was thanks to IAP's and games requiring a WiFi or cellular connection to play. In other words, it isn't 2013 any more.
Piracy is as rampant as ever ...
Just ask notable developers who released their piracy figures this year such as monument valley creators.
Or another developer and their attempt at curbing it on Android
https://torrentfreak.com/android-dev-punishes-pirates-at-the-behest-of-reddit-150203/
Not true. Apk's that require a server handshake and verification to function can't activate. Additionally, if you don't have an updated signed apk, the app may not function. Apps like OnStar utilize this.
On the flip side, Samsung has an app that allows you to change the default graphics settings of a game so that it pushes it to display 2k graphics. Games look a lot better than the 1080p or 750p graphics found on the same all on an iDevice.
And then there are apps still floating around the app store designed for iOS 3 or are iPhone only that look like garbage since iOS has never been able to scale apps properly. Both stores have old apps by small time developers that never get updated. It happens.
Games make up the majority of revenue. Majority of high end games now use IAP's to supplement the free price tag.
Please tell me how a free game can be pirated.
As I said, it isn't 2013 any more and developers have instituted the freemium model and/or online verification procedures to stop piracy.
You are seemingly reading my posts sideways because your now saying what I already said.
Because I already explained that the move to free app / advertising and in-app purchasing especially on Android is because of piracy and an attempt to curb it, but this is also why there is often a pricing difference between Android and iOS. The iOS version of a paid app for example is basically the free Android version which is supplemented with in-app adverts which can be removed or features added / made 'prime' with optional in-app purchase bringing it on par with the paid iOS version.
I'm sure you can, but the fact is you can find more apps that are high quality on iOS than on Android since it is very hard to monetize it most devs just don't bother with Android. Stats are more than clear on this one.