Sutu Research Institute: Analysis of Android App Store Market in the First Half of 2013

App stores have always been regarded as an important entrance to the mobile Internet and the main source of new mobile phone applications for users. The Android platform is more open than other platforms, and users have more common channels to download application software. However, according to relevant data, about 80% of Android applications are downloaded from third-party stores such as Baidu, 91, 360, Wandoujia, App Store, and Android Market.

In this regard, Sutu Research Institute analyzed the Android app store market by combining data from major platforms and questionnaire surveys. The key points of the report are as follows:

1. About 80% of users have used mobile app stores, and most of them use them through computer terminals;

2. Convenience is the primary reason for use, with users using the app 1-2 times per month on average, and most users stay for about 5 minutes each time;

3. Baidu and 360 Mobile Assistant are the most commonly used apps by netizens, and games and social apps are the most downloaded;

4. The same software has different download volumes in different app stores, with Baidu and Android Market having the most downloads;

5. Users can accept an app store size of only around 10M, with Wandoujia and Kingsoft Mobile Assistant being among them.

(Map by Speedtu Research Institute)

As smartphones are so common, mobile app stores have benefited from this popularity. About 80% of users said they have used mobile app stores to download software. 58% of users downloaded software through a computer port, and 42% of users directly used mobile terminals such as mobile phones and pads.

One can't help but ask, what is so good about the App Store that attracts so many users? The following figure explains.

(Map by Speedtu Research Institute)

Nearly half of the users think that using the app store to download is fast and convenient, and the store has a wide variety of software, including social, audio and video, games, shopping, etc. This may be what some people call providing valuable services. Even 19.59% of users think that using the app store can bring a lot of fun, and they can find a lot of fun software and games, etc., and there are always unexpected surprises.

(Map by Speedtu Research Institute)

Although everyone likes new things and dislikes old things, how long can this novelty last depends on both the person and the software. The attractiveness and durability of a software to users are a test. According to the survey, 62.16% of users use the app store 1-2 times a month to update software or download the latest apps and games, etc., which shows that most people are still "long-lasting". The proportion of users who use the app 3-5 times a month and users who use it more than 6 times is about 20% respectively.

The frequency of use is so high, so how long does it take for users to stay on the app each time? How long does it take for users to find the software they like?

(Map by Speedtu Research Institute)

The survey shows that more than half of users will choose to exit the program after using it for about 5 minutes each time. There are two reasons for this short period of time: users are familiar with the program and quickly find the software they like; or they wander around and are not attracted to new software, so no new software is added.

At the same time, 34% of users remain at around 15 minutes. Based on experience, 15 minutes is enough to complete operations such as software downloading and updating.

After reading so many characteristics about app store users, let's talk about the main character - app stores. I will analyze the app stores I use most often, the download rankings of major stores, and the memory ratings of app stores. First, let's talk about the Android app stores you use most often.

(Map by Speedtu Research Institute)

According to the results of the polls initiated by the Speed ​​​​Research Institute on Weibo, Wenjuxing and other platforms, Android Market, 360 Mobile Assistant and Baidu Mobile Assistant are the top three most popular Android app stores. Wandoujia, as an old brand, showed weakness and was helpless in front of the app stores with strong "backstage" support. 91, which was acquired by Baidu some time ago, was liked by 16% of users.

(Map by Speedtu Research Institute)

Casual games are the favorite of netizens, and 75% of users will download the latest and most fun games as soon as possible. Social software such as WeChat and Weibo are naturally extremely important, and security software has become a must-have software. Casual games, social applications, and must-have software are the top three download rankings in the app store, becoming the first choice.

Wallpaper, life, news, books, office, audio and video and other types of software are the leaders in the second choice area, with an average of about 40%. Photography, shopping, navigation, and chess and card games belong to the third area, and about 25% of users will choose to download.

The above two pictures respectively list the app stores I use most often and the software I like to download the most. So what kind of miracle will happen if the two pictures are combined? Which one will stand out?

(Map by Speedtu Research Institute)

We selected several representative and highly downloaded software from six major types of software, namely social applications, popular games, audio and video, life, news, and shopping, and compared their download volumes in major app stores.

WeChat, a popular app, has the most downloads on Baidu Mobile Assistant, exceeding 500 million times. Temple Run 2, a popular game, has performed strongly on 360 Mobile Assistant, reaching 68.99 million times. Baidu Video, a leader in video playback, has been loved by many users, with over 50 million downloads. As must-have software for office workers, Moji Weather and Phoenix News Reader are both popular, with the highest downloads in the Android market. As online shopping shifts to mobile Internet, Taobao client downloads have also increased, with over 50 million downloads on Baidu Mobile Assistant.

We selected 6 representative apps, of which 3 had the highest download volume in Baidu Mobile Assistant, 2 were bought by Android Market, and 1 was bought by 360. This shows that "those with backstage support win the world".

Another important reason why users choose which mobile app store to download is memory.

(Map by Speedtu Research Institute)

The average value of the memory size of the app store that users can accept is between 10M and 15M. Once it exceeds the user's bottom line, they may choose to delete it and choose another one.

In terms of memory, Wandoujia and Kingsoft Mobile Assistant were hit, with memory usage of about 20MB, far exceeding users' expectations. However, Wandoujia's user rating is relatively high, reaching 8.7 points, second only to Baidu Mobile Assistant's 8.9 points. In terms of download volume and ratings, as well as genuine software applications, Baidu undoubtedly has a considerable advantage.

Shen Yuede, a senior analyst at Speed ​​​​Tour Research Institute, believes that, judging from the current situation, the app store market has almost formed a situation where Baidu + 91, Android Market, 360 Mobile Assistant eat meat, Wandoujia, App Store, Jifeng Market and other app stores drink soup, and other app stores gnaw bones. However, at the Baidu World Conference held yesterday, Robin Li criticized the fundamental flaws of the current mainstream App application store model and announced the launch of the "light application" model of "no need to download, search and use". In this regard, industry insiders have mixed opinions, but no matter what the fate of light applications will be in the future, it will have more or less impact on app stores, and the market structure will also change accordingly.