7 ms·

Majority of U.S. consumers still download zero apps per month, says comScore

51 points by mcone 9y ago

taylodl 9y ago
"The data almost makes it seem like there’s not much point in trying to build new apps for anyone but millennials, as they’re the only group showing serious interest in downloading more, a willingness to pay, and the ability to adopt a new app at scale." Or perhaps since it's ofentimes millennials who are building the apps they don't understand the needs and desires of older users and as such are missing a huge opportunity.
- devmunchies 9y ago
  anecdotal experience with my parents is that they don't tend to download new apps unless their children or grandchildren convince them to. that and they don't just browse the app store anyway.
  - spondyl 9y ago
    anecdotal experience with my parents is that they're not really sure what apps they would want, if any. Hell, neither do I. I essentially have every app I "need". A browser, a music player, a podcast player, some IM clients, a train notifier and banking apps. Why would I ever need anything else except like, games or something but I have 0 patience for them on mobile unless you can get in and out fast.
    - KGIII 9y ago
      I am old but quite computer literate. I've done the whole app thing. However, for the past few years, I've installed no apps. The only apps installed are those that are default.
spoiledtechie 9y ago
I work for comScore, on one of their major applications with this data and others. We are always hiring and need many more engineers. Most of the work is .NET, but 30-40% is other languages. As you can tell, we have large data teams, dealing in a multiple of quadrillion records. Free snacks, nice open floor plan and good benefits. Our President is also doing good things to move the company forward and being very open with his employees.
- eip 9y ago
  >Free snacks, nice open floor plan Why do companies think either of these things are a selling point?
smegel 9y ago
Why would you once have all the apps you need?
- spondyl 9y ago
  This is essentially it. Once you've been there, done that, you're just left with reinventions of the wheel and rubbish "App of the Month" clones. (I'm generalizing of course)
- zzleeper 9y ago
  Also, my idiotic 16gb Android phone is almost always full (thanks to the OS keeping loads of garbage and leftovers from previous versions, according to google searches). On top of that, every time I plug in the phone on WiFi, all these apps start their regular updates (how often do they need to be updated??). Thus, I need to be very careful with what apps I have, and constantly trim them. I guess that with a new phone this wouldn't be the case, but heck mine is less than 2yrs old and runs fine.
  - TazeTSchnitzel 9y ago
    I am also stuck on a 16GB phone (an iPhone in this case) and thus I also simply don't have the space for new apps.
    - tehlike 9y ago
      try removing big storage hogs. it's also liberating to have less apps on phone :)
      - deleted 9y ago
        [deleted]
  - mrighele 9y ago
    Let's not forget the apps that store locally hundreds of megabytes of cached data (one of the reasons I removed the Facebook app) and those that refuse to store images and videos on an external SD card (WhatsApp)
gozur88 9y ago
Apps to do what? How many people do more with their phone than make calls and check social networks?
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
kerkeslager 9y ago
I download zero apps per month because existing apps have trained me to believe that most "free" apps are actually user-hostile scams trying to trick you into spending far more on in-app purchases than you ever would on an app, and most paid apps still contain ads (or worse, requests that I advertise the app to my friends). But hey, that's the best way to drive up short-term profits.
throwawaymanbot 9y ago
The apps are either invading my privacy or updating and eating up my space. No app needs 75mb to 250mb per update. Its shoddy workmanship in that regard and the privacy issue is un-fixable. So I dont bother.
kimi 9y ago
It may be just me, but every time I download an app I have a feeling that I'm signing in into something that will do whatever it wants on my phone - geolocation, read address book, access the internet? for what? And then, you know, there are these things called "websites" that you access using a single app called "browser" that end up being pretty useful even on your phone.
- kahnpro 9y ago
  Pretty sure that's how most app conception begins. How can they gather as much user data as possible, or as many videos micropayments as possible. I think that most apps only exist so that some company can get a tracking device onto your phone.
  - ahartmetz 9y ago
    Permission systems are fairly good in both Android and iOS now, though. Note: I agree that protecting your data is important, I don't want to downplay that.
    - kimi 9y ago
      The problem is not that permissions are pretty good. The problem is that you have to give many apps way too many permissions to work. Let's make an example; I use the FitBit tracker and quite like it. I also use its own Android app. A few months ago, they decided that in order to sync you need to enable GPS. Now, there is no reason on Earth why I need to turn on GPS to download data from my watch and upload it to FitBit's server. Still, no permission or GPS disabled = no sync. Frankly, I do not think this is in my best interest. And I wonder how many of their user-base noticed the change of permissions.
    - blorsh 9y ago
      No, the situation is "take it or leave it". Give all the permissions, or don't get to use the app. There are now even web sites (facebook, google maps, yahoo email) that seem to refuse service if you are determined to be on a phone. They demand that you install their app instead. Proper permissions would have 4 possible settings: 1. ask (the default), with checkbox to make the choice stick 2. deny 3. allow 4. deceive the app, pretending to allow. That last one is important. It keeps apps from forcing users to allow absurd permissions. Deception plug-ins should be possible, allowing various kinds of deception (like "oh, sorry, there is no signal") and even man-in-the-middle against the apps.
rdiddly 9y ago
Furthermore I rarely use most of the apps I do have. I update them even more rarely, after more than one experience of being burned by the developer breaking things that were good. (Add new things that suck all you want, but don't break existing things that are good!)
iammiles 9y ago
Beside my banking apps and Alaska Airlines, I don't have any other apps that didn't otherwise come with my phone. I just don't have a need, and I think there are quite a few other people who use their phone in a similar way.
rchaud 9y ago
This isn't 2010, when US smartphone adoption was growing exponentially and the "app economy" was in full swing. The majority of smartphone owners have had phones for a few years now and know exactly which apps they need on a daily basis, be it messaging, social media, games, note-taking, nutrition, transportation, etc. For everything else mobile websites are more than good enough to cover their needs I imagine.
bmcusick 9y ago
I've reached app saturation. I already have apps to do all the things I use my phone for. Really new use cases don't come around often.
intopieces 9y ago
Every time I see the badge on iOS that tells me how many apps need to be updated, I delete apps I haven't used recently. All my apps on my phone fit on one page, no folders.

51 points by mcone 9y ago

"The data almost makes it seem like there’s not much point in trying to build new apps for anyone but millennials, as they’re the only group showing serious interest in downloading more, a willingness to pay, and the ability to adopt a new app at scale." Or perhaps since it's ofentimes millennials who are building the apps they don't understand the needs and desires of older users and as such are missing a huge opportunity.

devmunchies 9y ago
anecdotal experience with my parents is that they don't tend to download new apps unless their children or grandchildren convince them to. that and they don't just browse the app store anyway.
- spondyl 9y ago
  anecdotal experience with my parents is that they're not really sure what apps they would want, if any. Hell, neither do I. I essentially have every app I "need". A browser, a music player, a podcast player, some IM clients, a train notifier and banking apps. Why would I ever need anything else except like, games or something but I have 0 patience for them on mobile unless you can get in and out fast.
  - KGIII 9y ago
    I am old but quite computer literate. I've done the whole app thing. However, for the past few years, I've installed no apps. The only apps installed are those that are default.

spoiledtechie 9y ago

I work for comScore, on one of their major applications with this data and others. We are always hiring and need many more engineers. Most of the work is .NET, but 30-40% is other languages. As you can tell, we have large data teams, dealing in a multiple of quadrillion records. Free snacks, nice open floor plan and good benefits. Our President is also doing good things to move the company forward and being very open with his employees.

eip 9y ago
>Free snacks, nice open floor plan Why do companies think either of these things are a selling point?

smegel 9y ago

Why would you once have all the apps you need?

spondyl 9y ago
This is essentially it. Once you've been there, done that, you're just left with reinventions of the wheel and rubbish "App of the Month" clones. (I'm generalizing of course)
zzleeper 9y ago
Also, my idiotic 16gb Android phone is almost always full (thanks to the OS keeping loads of garbage and leftovers from previous versions, according to google searches). On top of that, every time I plug in the phone on WiFi, all these apps start their regular updates (how often do they need to be updated??). Thus, I need to be very careful with what apps I have, and constantly trim them. I guess that with a new phone this wouldn't be the case, but heck mine is less than 2yrs old and runs fine.
- TazeTSchnitzel 9y ago
  I am also stuck on a 16GB phone (an iPhone in this case) and thus I also simply don't have the space for new apps.
  - tehlike 9y ago
    try removing big storage hogs. it's also liberating to have less apps on phone :)
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
- mrighele 9y ago
  Let's not forget the apps that store locally hundreds of megabytes of cached data (one of the reasons I removed the Facebook app) and those that refuse to store images and videos on an external SD card (WhatsApp)

gozur88 9y ago

Apps to do what? How many people do more with their phone than make calls and check social networks?

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

kerkeslager 9y ago

I download zero apps per month because existing apps have trained me to believe that most "free" apps are actually user-hostile scams trying to trick you into spending far more on in-app purchases than you ever would on an app, and most paid apps still contain ads (or worse, requests that I advertise the app to my friends). But hey, that's the best way to drive up short-term profits.

throwawaymanbot 9y ago

The apps are either invading my privacy or updating and eating up my space. No app needs 75mb to 250mb per update. Its shoddy workmanship in that regard and the privacy issue is un-fixable. So I dont bother.

kimi 9y ago

It may be just me, but every time I download an app I have a feeling that I'm signing in into something that will do whatever it wants on my phone - geolocation, read address book, access the internet? for what? And then, you know, there are these things called "websites" that you access using a single app called "browser" that end up being pretty useful even on your phone.

kahnpro 9y ago
Pretty sure that's how most app conception begins. How can they gather as much user data as possible, or as many videos micropayments as possible. I think that most apps only exist so that some company can get a tracking device onto your phone.
- ahartmetz 9y ago
  Permission systems are fairly good in both Android and iOS now, though. Note: I agree that protecting your data is important, I don't want to downplay that.
  - kimi 9y ago
    The problem is not that permissions are pretty good. The problem is that you have to give many apps way too many permissions to work. Let's make an example; I use the FitBit tracker and quite like it. I also use its own Android app. A few months ago, they decided that in order to sync you need to enable GPS. Now, there is no reason on Earth why I need to turn on GPS to download data from my watch and upload it to FitBit's server. Still, no permission or GPS disabled = no sync. Frankly, I do not think this is in my best interest. And I wonder how many of their user-base noticed the change of permissions.
  - blorsh 9y ago
    No, the situation is "take it or leave it". Give all the permissions, or don't get to use the app. There are now even web sites (facebook, google maps, yahoo email) that seem to refuse service if you are determined to be on a phone. They demand that you install their app instead. Proper permissions would have 4 possible settings: 1. ask (the default), with checkbox to make the choice stick 2. deny 3. allow 4. deceive the app, pretending to allow. That last one is important. It keeps apps from forcing users to allow absurd permissions. Deception plug-ins should be possible, allowing various kinds of deception (like "oh, sorry, there is no signal") and even man-in-the-middle against the apps.

rdiddly 9y ago

Furthermore I rarely use most of the apps I do have. I update them even more rarely, after more than one experience of being burned by the developer breaking things that were good. (Add new things that suck all you want, but don't break existing things that are good!)

iammiles 9y ago

Beside my banking apps and Alaska Airlines, I don't have any other apps that didn't otherwise come with my phone. I just don't have a need, and I think there are quite a few other people who use their phone in a similar way.

rchaud 9y ago

This isn't 2010, when US smartphone adoption was growing exponentially and the "app economy" was in full swing. The majority of smartphone owners have had phones for a few years now and know exactly which apps they need on a daily basis, be it messaging, social media, games, note-taking, nutrition, transportation, etc. For everything else mobile websites are more than good enough to cover their needs I imagine.

bmcusick 9y ago

I've reached app saturation. I already have apps to do all the things I use my phone for. Really new use cases don't come around often.

intopieces 9y ago

Every time I see the badge on iOS that tells me how many apps need to be updated, I delete apps I haven't used recently. All my apps on my phone fit on one page, no folders.