Report: Consumers Spend More On iOS Games Than On Gaming-Optimized Handhelds
by Joe White
May 17, 2013
According to new data, consumers spend more on iOS gaming, the App Store, and in-app purchases than on dedicated handheld game consoles such as Sony's PlayStation Vita or the Nintendo 3DS. The report, from app analysis firm App Annie, compared consumer spending on games in the fourth quarter of 2012 against the first quarter of 2013, and as you can see in the below chart, in Q1 2013 iOS reigned supreme.
App Annie draws three particular conclusions from the above data:
With Google Play expected to have surpassed handheld game consoles in the second quarter of 2013, the future of gaming-optimized handhelds indeed looks bleak. It's clear that the widespread availability of the iPhone has made portable gaming easier to access than ever before, and at the same time, the countless impressive App Store titles available may therefore dissuade iPhone or iPad owners from going out and buying a Vita or 3DS. Both Sony and Nintendo have software releases set for this year, and so the situation could change yet. We'll keep you updated with further news on the handheld gaming market as we receive it. Do you own an iPhone and a handheld game console? For further industry related news, see: Virgin Mobile Offers 15 Percent Discount On Prepaid iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, Highly Anticipated BlackBerry Messenger iOS App Will Not Be Optimized For iPad, and Tim Cook Speaks Out Ahead Of Senate Hearing On Apple's Offshore Tax Practices.
- iOS and Google Play both saw growth in game downloads and consumer spending.
- iOS is now the leader in consumer spending on games, with Google Play likely to surpass gaming-optimized handsets in 2Q13.
- Gaming-optimized handhelds experienced significant degreases in consumer spending and packaged game shipments due to seasonality.
