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 on Aug. 26, 2009

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)