The smartphone space moves at such a rapid pace it is fun to try and keep up with everything. New phones get rolled out almost daily, and even old standards like the iPhone generate news. Verizon has only been selling the iPhone 4 for a few months, yet statistics show Big Red is already accounting for a third of all iPhones sold in the U. S. It’s easy to see why Apple wanted to get into bed with Verizon.
A set of statistics has been released by Flurry that demonstrates that mobile games generate more revenue for the developers when given away free than paid versions of top selling games on the iOS platform. A common argument levied against the Android app system is that the majority of apps are free and not paid versions. The numbers from Flurry paint a vivid picture in the iOS app ecosystem that indicate when it comes to games the freemium model is the way to go, which takes away from the argument against the Android model.
Freemium games are those given away but that generate revenue for the developer through either ads in the games or by selling upgrades directly in them. The June statistics show that a full 65 percent of iOS game revenue is generated by free games, a big advantage over revenue from paid games. Developers need to pay attention and decide if freemium is the way to go with games on the iOS platform. While selling a game for a dollar can generate revenue if the game is popular, the Flurry statistics show that free games with other revenue outlets generate more than those relying on game sales.
