iPhone apps see high drop-off rate

Only 5% still using downloaded apps after 20 days

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23 February 2009 12:04 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Despite the App Store achieving fantastically high numbers of downloads - 500 million at the last count - it seems most of the widgets purchased don't have any kind of longevity.

Only 30% of people who buy an iPhone application are still using it the day after they've download it, suggests new data from Pinch Media.

Pinch Media analysed more than 30 million downloads from Apple's App Store to see how often iPhone owners accessed the applications.

The numbers drop further as time goes on. After 20 days, less than 5% of those who downloaded an application are actively using it, with a worse "drop off" rate for applications that are free.

Pinch Media suggests Apple's lack of a "try-before-you-buy" scheme, and the fact that many apps are free or low-cost, means iPhone owners are happy to take the plunge without fully researching the software.

The company estimates around 10% of iPhone apps retain an audience over time with most of those being games, and entertainment tools, such as Facebook.