It looks like iOS and Android users are more different than previously thought. In fact, their app habits are complete opposites of each other.
AppsFlyer recently posted results from a survey it conducted over the course of the second half of 2015, trying to see during what time period apps are most often used. Here’s what the team found out:
Weekends Score For iOS, But Not Android
The study shows that while iOS users enjoy using their apps quite frequently on the weekend, Android users don’t. Ina—engagement shows a spike going into Friday and Saturday on the iOS front, while Android users prefer to utilize them closer to the middle of a work week, between Tuesday and Thursday.
People Like the Late Shift
Worldwide, app usage appears to be highest during the evenings, going up around the 7:00 to 10:00 hour before showing a deep decline into later hours. Usage amongst iOS users actually shows an increase by 36 percent during this timeframe.
Ran Avrahamy, AppsFlyer’s head of marketing, speculated on why these numbers fluctuate so differently between iOS and Android. “From what is typically known about average iOS users, they tend to buy relatively expensive Apple devices and are generally categorized as more affluent, educated and brand-conscious, which can manifest in having busy weekday schedules that leave less time for app usage during traditional working hours. Hence, these users are more inclined to be in the mindset to install and engage with their apps at times when they are less occupied by other activities,” he explained, speaking exclusively with [a]listdaily.
Avrahamy also touched upon what kind of apps are popular during these times. “While this info isn’t covered specifically in the report, some familiar industry trends and patterns likely apply here. The typical mobile user has a range of 35-75 apps on their device(s), with the most popular (and highest retained apps) coming in the entertainment and social categories (including gaming, video, music, multimedia, etc).”
Installs are popular on some days with iOS, but more consistent with Android
The report also broke down the number of installs per day across both platforms, and while iOS showed an incredible spike leading into Sunday, it dropped back down by the time a new week began, whereas Android fared pretty consistent over the course of the week.
“Again, difficult to speculate on this, as there’s such a wide range of types and personas of Android users across the globe. And while the deviation isn’t so significant throughout the week (including weekend), it is an interesting point as there is a different mindset when deciding to install an app and deciding to use it once on a device,” said Avrahamy about the numbers.
“The report shows higher retention rates of the different types of apps on each platform and when they are used, but it’s difficult to draw specific conclusions about correlating usage between app retention rate and when exactly these types of apps are used.”
