Ovum forecasts Android app downloads to exceed iOS this year

During 2010 7.4 billion apps were downloaded. This year that figure is set to hit 18 billion, forecasts Ovum.

Android users will download the lion's share of apps in 2011, beating out iOS users for the first time, consuming 8.1 billion downloads versus 6 billion. There's little doubt this is mostly due to the number of Android devices now in use compared to Apple's iPhone along with the introduction of third-party app stores.

Going forward Ovum forecasts that Android will continue to lead iOS devices in app downloads and that, by 2016, Android app downloads will be double that of iOS - 21.8 billion compared to 11.6 billion.

However, Ovum also forecasts the iTunes app store will continue to dominate the market for paid applications. By 2016, Apple will realize $2.85 billion in app-based revenue versus $1.6 billion for Android.

Another new survey, this time by Yankee Group and Skyhook, suggests that Android developers make far less money than their Apple iOS counterparts primarily, they conclude, due to "rampant piracy" of Android apps.

Tags: Android, app download, app store, iOS, mobile app, operating system, paid apps