Yahoo Finance Google Play App Store 'Outgrowing Apple'
Google (NasdaqGS: GOOG - news) 's app store revenues grew more than three times faster than Apple (NasdaqGS: AAPL - news) 's in the first quarter of 2013, research suggests.
Google Play's income was up roughly 90% on the last quarter of 2012, while Apple's App Store saw a rise of around a quarter.
However, Apple still enjoys the highest total revenue, with Google making just 38.5% of its competitor's total.
That is a big jump from a year ago, however, when that figure was just a tenth.
Research firm App Annie says game-hungry smartphone fans in Japan and South Korea are behind the boost in Play Store's fortunes.
The rapid growth of devices using Google's Android means the operating system now accounts for around 70% of the global smartphone market.
However, Apple's "simpler" payment system may be helping it keep ahead in the financial stakes.
"In terms of downloads (paid for and free), Google Play has caught up to 90% of Apple's, and will close the gap soon, but this hasn't translated to revenues," said Oliver Lo, Vice-President at App Annie.
Lo said a higher percentage of iPad and iPhone users had registered a credit card with their Apple account, making it easier for them to buy apps.
The Google store has a more varied system, including credit cards, mobile network billing and Google Wallet.
Game downloads are still the biggest money-spinners for both stores, say researchers.
Some 80% of Google Play revenues come from downloads of popular titles such as Minecraft and Temple Run. For the App Store the figure is 70%.
The overall app market is estimated to have raked in more than $2bn (£1.3bn) in the first three months of this year.
Developers typically get 70% of the cost of an app, with the rest going to Apple or Google.
More From Sky News
