Mobile App Developer Survey: Profiles, Platforms and Monetization

1. Summary

Introduction

The mobile applications market has exploded in recent years, with Apple’s App Store surpassing 300,000 applications and the Android Market continuing to gain ground. Apple’s crowdsourcing strategy has set the standard and convinced dozens of individuals— regardless of experience — to become mobile app developers. This has created a tremendous amount of content for the iPhone and other devices, and given them significantly more value.

Unfortunately, due to intense competition and the challenge of discoverability, many developers are not rewarded for their efforts.

Summary

Developers are expecting to create more on native platforms and the mobile web than on Flash and Java platforms in the next 12 months.

The majority of application developers are not full-time mobile application developers.

The majority of developers are not pursuing advertising strategies; among those that are, the majority are generating less than $100 a month and using ad networks controlled by Apple and Google.

Growth in tablet applications will be big. Of survey respondents, 83% said they were developing tablet applications or planned to in the next 12 months.

Young, highly educated and entrepreneurial developers are driving innovation in the mobile app development market.