Analyst firm Berg Insight says the number of mobile application downloads worldwide will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 56.6% between 2010 and 2015 to reach 98 billion. In addition, ‘direct’ app store revenue from paid applications, in-app purchases and subscription services will grow at a CAGR of 40.7% from €1.6 billion last year to €8.8 billion (£7.6 billion) in 2015.
Apple’s iOS is expected to lead in revenue terms throughout the five-year period.
Johan Svanberg, Senior Analyst at Berg Insight, said “Even though the download numbers will increase during the forecast period, most apps are free to download and app monetisation will be a challenge for developers. Free to download monetisation strategies such as in-app advertising and in-app purchasing will be increasingly important. This is especially true in the APAC region, which will account for over 40% of all mobile app downloads in 2015.”
[Report details (pdf)]