Entertainment apps rule Android store downloads, not games

iOS users have fun, Android users get down to business, according to mobile app search company, Chomp.

In its first ever annual app search analytics report, Chomp has revealed search data from the one-million-plus app searches per month which outline what the top apps are, what the trends are in apps and what the average price per app is.

Chomp begins with the category share trend. Gaming, it seems, is on a downturn in the Android market. For iOS though, gaming is on the rise. In December 2011, games accounted for 36% of all iTunes downloads. For Android, only 22% of downloads were gaming apps.

What we like

What are the defining apps in the Android market? Entertainment apps. This includes apps such as Gigbox, Flixster, Pandora and Qik.

Onto iTunes and apps focused on fitness and music have seen a rise in popularity. Utility apps though, are on the decrease. Apps such as Soundhound, Spotify, Magic Guitar and FitnessBuilder are all the rage.

What we pay

App pricing is predictably dearer on iTunes. Chomp notes that the average price of an app has increased by 50%. Again in December, an average app cost US$0.67 while on the Android store, the average price per app was a mere US$0.09.

Itunes app prices remain ahead of the curve due to its barrage of US$0.99 apps. This pushes the average price of paid Android apps to US$3.17 and thrusts the price of iTunes apps to US$2.41. Itunes paid apps account for 22% of all downloads, while Android remains “open-source” with only 5% of all downloads being paid-for.

Android versus iOS

Chomp lists the top ten app downloads for both Android and iTunes.

–          Android

• Pandora
• Facebook
• Lookout Mobile Security
• Zedge Ringtones
• Advanced Task Killer
• Handcent SMS
• Dolphin Browser
• The Weather Channel
• TuneIn
• GasBuddy

–          iOS

• Angry Birds
• Facebook
• Dropbox
• IMDb
• Pandora
• Angry Birds Seasons
• SoundHound
• Netflix
• Angry Birds Rio
• Instagram