Tech

Android has good engaged base for future app growth

A survey by AdMob shows that Android, iPhone and iPod touch users are all highly engaged with applications and frequently download them to their devices. However, Android has a much smaller base of devices and therefore has more upside ahead.

Written by Larry Dignan, Contributor Aug. 26, 2009 at 11:26 p.m. PT

AdMob, an outfit that tracks mobile Web and application usage, found that Android and iPhone users download nine to 10 apps a month and iPod touch users download 18 a month. More than half of the Android and iPhone users spend more than 30 minutes a day using apps. The best survey data from AdMob is in its supplemental PDF and full report (Techmeme).

That's some serious engagement and a lot of runway for Android. Why? Android-powered devices---T-Mobile's MyTouch is the headliner---are hard to come by. However, that's changing as Motorola will be taking Android handsets to large carriers like Verizon Wireless in the fourth quarter.

Simply put, Android has a nice base of engaged users already. More distribution is likely to make it a more viable rival to the iPhone. Also see: It's official: Google and Apple are competitors (especially in mobile)