Android is steadily catching up on Apple when it comes to apps – and it’s set to overtake its rival in monthly downloads by June 2012, according to Xyologic. The app search service, which has released 220 app download reports from across 29 countries, said: “In the coming months we will see a number of countries where Android becomes platform option number one if you are looking for the largest audiences.”
By next June, the website predicts that both Apple and Android apps will hit a monthly figure of 3.2 billion downloads. The two platforms are expected to be neck and neck in terms of number of apps by the following month, and in May 2013 for total app downloads. But Android has already taken the lead in some markets. According to Xyologic: “In the last month we have seen the first countries where Android was outperforming Apple in terms of monthly downloads, specifically Poland, the Czech Republic and Portugal.” The monthly download figure is a key indicator for app publishers, providing a good feeling for the size of the market.
Xyologic claims its reports will give users a much clearer insight into the who’s who of mobile apps. This is the first time that data of this nature – including the first ever overview of app downloads on Android, iOS and WP – has been available broken down by country.
The Berlin-based startup provides custom app data to device makers, carriers, investors and app and game publishers: “We believe that proper insight is invaluable when creating sustainable and memorable apps of all sizes.”
According to the data for August, iPhone and iPod Touch users downloaded 8.7 apps each on average. And Apple is still leading Android with 1.45 billion app downloads compared to 640 million – but if the astonishing current rate of growth in the Android market continues, it will overtake Apple next summer.