What’s a downloaded app worth? Not as much as their publishers would have you believe. Indeed, 1-in-4 downloaded apps are used just once, according to a new study from analytics firm Localytics.
Worse still, the company found that one-time app usage was slowly on the rise throughout 2010 -- in the first quarter it was around 22%, but by the end of the year it grew to 28%. “The big
takeaway from the news for mobile app developers is that first impressions of your app matter greatly,” writes
VentureBeat,
“and you should also pay more attention to the number of people who keep using your apps, instead of just looking at download statistics.” For its study, Localytics looked at thousands of
apps across every major mobile platform using its app analytics software. Suggest VentureBeat: “The increase is most likely due to more consumers getting smartphones throughout the year, and we
can expect the number to grow even further over the next few years.” One reason for app’s relative popularity is their simple adoption requirement. Generally, users only need to locate the
program they want in an app store, choose to download it, and wait while their device works its magic.