iPhone users download more apps

iPhone owners are much more likely to download apps and get involved with social networking than their BlackBerry-owning counterparts, Compete revealed today in a new study. About 72 percent of Apple smartphone users are likely to have downloaded at least 10 third-party apps, but 73 percent of BlackBerry users have picked up five apps or less. The researchers add that iPhone owners are more willing to buy their apps than BlackBerry owners.

Similar data shows that iPhone users are appropriately much more active in social networking than BlackBerry owners. Roughly 71 percent of Apple users have a Facebook account where only 44 percent of BlackBerry users can claim the same. iPhone users are also significantly more likely to have a Twitter account (26 percent versus 15) and are more than twice as likely to actually use Twitter on their phones, at 26 percent compared to 10 percent. Industry-wide, only 45 percent have Facebook accounts and 19 percent have Twitter accounts, and 85 percent of smartphone Twitter users actually opt to use the website instead.

Regardless of platform, 83 percent of users prefer apps that cost below $5.

The gap in usage habits isn't explained, but Apple's much larger app catalog of 75,000 apps provides more selection than BlackBerry App World, which at last count two months ago had just 2,000 apps. RIM also forces companies with paid apps to charge at least $3 and doesn't have access to as many developers known for writing social networking apps, such as Icon Factory (Twitterrific) or atebits (Tweetie).

By Electronista Staff

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iPhone, industry, BlackBerry, Research in Motion, App Store, mobile phones, Apple, BlackBerry App World