Challenge
Google sought to understand the attitudes of UK developers towards established app stores and emerging alternative distribution and billing services: how do they think about the value they get from app stores? What do they see as the strengths and weaknesses of alternative app stores and billing services?
Approach
To provide a comprehensive and robust understanding, MTM conducted an extensive online survey with 201 UK app and game developers. The sample was wide ranging and representative of the wider ecosystem, covering developers from a range of company sizes, monetisation models and popularity.
Impact
The study revealed a nuanced picture of the UK developer landscape, highlighting strong satisfaction with established platforms while also uncovering significant concerns regarding alternatives.
Key Findings:
- High Satisfaction with Established Stores: Developers reported high satisfaction with Google Play and iOS App Store. Developers also felt their investment in these platforms was well-rewarded.
- Google Play’s Safety Advantage: A significant majority of developers believe Google Play’s approach to user safety and security (88%) and developer safety and security (83%) is better compared to other Android app stores.
- Integrated Billing Services Highly Valued: Integrated billing services received high satisfaction scores. Developers highlighted Google Play Billing’s recognition as a trusted solution and its handling of end-to-end payment workflows.
- Perceived Benefits of Alternatives: While developers acknowledged potential benefits from alternative app stores and billing services, such as increased competition and innovation and increased visibility for smaller apps.
- Significant Concerns with Alternatives: Over two-thirds of developers expressed concern about the security risks associated with distributing app updates outside of major channels. A substantial 94% of developers agreed that users are more likely to install apps from a trusted app store. There are also significant concerns regarding feature sophistication, user experience and trust, as well as the operational complexity of managing presence on multiple app stores.
See the full report here: MTM – UK Developer Attitudes Towards App Stores