Retina Display, the Main Reason iOS Apps are so Fat
According to a recent study by ABI research, the average size of iOS apps has risen by 16 percent in the past six month. This fattening up of apps appears to be contributed to the Retina display of the iPad 3, as well as Apple’s recent policy changes on file size of app submissions.
Even more shocking is the massive swell in iOS game size. According to ABI’s research, games have increased by 42 percent to a whopping 60 MB average. When you compare that to the average size of Android games of 40 MB, you can see why Apple wants to phase out the smaller storage capabilities of its devices.
According to senior analyst Aapo Markkanen, the new data proves that the gaming industry is turning toward iOS as a viable device. “Apple’s decision in March to increase the maximum size of 3G/4G-downloadable apps from 20MBs to 50MBs has clearly had an unleashing effect on developers. Their games can now be more complex and graphically polished, while still being able to benefit from the instant gratification of cellular downloads.”
While games are getting bigger and better, storage in our iOS devices is filling up faster. Internal storage for smartphones and tablets is much more important than it used to be as technology is constantly trying to keep up with itself. Apple stopped offering 8GB models of all of their iPods with the fifth-generation iPod touch starting at 32 GB. You can still buy a 16GB iPad, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Apple phased out that size for the next generation tablet, as well.
Smaller storage means less impulse buys from consumers and a higher demand for good quality apps. “The consumers with 16GB devices are likely to become more conscious about what apps to keep and what to uninstall, so the developers’ bar to impress will be getting even higher than it is now,” said Markkanen.
[via Macnn]
