Snapchat clones TikTok, India bans 43 Chinese apps, more data on App Store commission changes – ProWellTech

Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the ProWellTech series that brings together the latest news on mobile operating systems, mobile applications, and the entire app economy.

The app industry is hotter than ever with 204 billion downloads and $ 120 billion in consumer spending in 2019 spend three hours and 40 minutes a day using apps that rival television. Not only are apps a way to spend idle time, they’re big business too. In 2019, mobile-first companies had an overall valuation of $ 544 billion, 6.5 times higher than non-mobile companies.

This week we’re digging into more data on how the App Store Commissions changes will affect developers, as well as other top stories like Snapchat’s new Spotlight feed and India’s attempt to expand more Chinese apps, among other things to banish the country.

We also have our weekly round-up of news about platforms, services, privacy, trends, and other headlines.

Learn more about App Store Commissions

Last week, App Annie confirmed to ProWellTech that in 2019, roughly 98% of all iOS developers (i.e., unique publisher accounts) fell below the $ 1 million annual consumer spend threshold, increasing App Store commissions by 15% 30% can be reduced. . The company also found that only 0.5% of developers made between $ 800,000 and $ 1 million. only 1% was in the $ 500,000 to $ 800,000 range; and 87.7% made less than $ 100,000.

This week, Appfigures has compiled its own data Learn how Apple’s changes to App Store Commissions will affect the app developer community.

According to the results of the 2M apps published in the App Store, 376K apps are paid for downloading, have in-app purchases or are monetized with subscriptions. These 376K apps are run by a smaller group of 124.5K developers. Of these developers, just a little under 2% made more than $ 1 million in 2019. This confirms App Annie’s estimate that 98% of all developers earned below the $ 1 million threshold.

Credit: Apple figures

The company also looked at companies above the $ 1 million mark and found that around 53% were games led by King (from the Candy Crush titles). After a large void, the next largest categories in 2019 were health and fitness, social networking, entertainment, and then photo and video.

Of those developers who earned more than $ 1 million, the largest percentage – 39% – earned between $ 1 million and $ 2.5 million in 2019.

Credit: Apple figures

The smallest group (1.5%) of developers who earn more than $ 1 million is the group that makes more than $ 150 million. These accounted for 29% of total sales of the “over USD 1 million” lot. And those who made between $ 50 million and $ 150 million accounted for 24% of sales.

Credit: Apple figures

AppFigures also found that most (> 97%) of those earning less than $ 1 million fell into the under $ 250,000 category. Some developers were concerned about the way Apple’s commission modification system was implemented – that is, it was done immediately after reaching $ 1 million and only after annual revaluations. However, there are so few developers working in the “danger zone” (near the threshold) that this doesn’t seem to be a significant problem. Continue reading.

Snapchat takes over TikTok

After taking over TikTok with music-based features last month, Snapchat launched a special place on its app this week where users can watch short, fun videos in a vertically scrollable, TikTok-like feed. This new feature called Spotlight shows off the community’s creative endeavors, including the videos that are now music-powered, as well as other Snaps users that may be of interest. According to Snapchat, the algorithms will work to display the most interesting snaps, which will be shown to each user on a personalized basis. Continue reading.

India bans more Chinese apps

India, which has already banned at at least 220 apps with links to China in recent months, said Tuesday it banned an additional 43 Chinese apps, again citing cybersecurity concerns. The newly blocked apps include the Snack Video short video service, the AliExpress e-commerce app, the Lalamove delivery app, the Taobao Live shopping app, the CamCard business card reader and Other. As a result, there are currently no Chinese apps in the top 500 most used apps in India. Continue reading.

Platforms

• Apple’s App Store Connect will need now an Apple ID with verification enabled in two steps.
• Apple announces App Store Connect Vacation Schedule. New apps and app updates will not be accepted from December 23-27, Pacific Time.
• SKAdNetwork 2.0 adds Source app ID and conversion value. The former allows networks to identify which app initiated a download from the app store, and the latter allows them to know whether users who installed an app via a campaign performed an action in the app, e.g. B. Sign up for a trial or make a purchase.
• Apple rounded up Developers commend the App Store commission change. Borrow their names on Apple’s list: Little 10 Robot (Tots Letters and Numbers), Broadstreet (Brief), Foundermark (Friended), Shine, Lifesum, Med ART Studios (Sprout Fertility Tracker), RevenueCat, OK Play, SignEasy, Jump Rope, Wine Spectator, Apollo for Reddit, SwingVision Tennis, Cinémoi.

Services

• Fourteen days Adds a $ 12 per month subscription that includes an entire season battle pass, $ 1,000 monthly, and a crew pack with an exclusive outfit bundle. I think Apple can miss more money.
• 14 US states plus Washington DC. have now accepted COVID-19 contact tracking apps. CA and other states may release apps soon. Few in the US have downloaded the apps, which limits their usefulness.
• Samsung TV Plus streaming TV service comes to more galaxy phones

security

• Apples Jane Horvath, Senior Director for Global Privacy, in a letter to Ranking Digital Rights, approved App tracking transparency The feature will be available in 2021. This feature allows users to turn off tracking between apps. The letter bangs too Facebook to collect “as much data as possible” about users.
• Baidus Apps that are banned from Google Play, Baidu Maps and the Baidu App, leaked sensitive user datasaid researchers. The apps had 6 million US users and millions more worldwide.

Apps in the news

Trends

Credit: Sensor tower

• US brick and mortar retail apps recorded a growth of 27% in the first three quarters of 2020 or almost double the growth of online retailer apps (14%), measured in terms of new installations. Top apps included Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club, Nike, Walgreens, and The Home Depot.
• App Annie forecast Estimates Buyers will spend more 110 million hours in (Android) mobile shopping apps this holiday season.
• PayPal and space Cash app have achieved 100% the newly issued shipment of Bitcoinssays report.
• All social media companies look the same now, Axois arguesciting the fleets of Twitter and Snap’s TikTok-like feature as current examples.

• CoStar Group, a provider of information and analysis on commercial real estate, acquires Homesnap’s Platform and app for $ 250 million move into the residential real estate market.
• Remote work app Friday brings in $ 2.1 million Seeds under the direction of Bessemer Venture Partners
• Story style Q&A app F3 elevated $ 3.9 million. The team previously founded Ask.fm.
• Edtech company Kahoot acquires Drops, a startup whose apps help people learn languages ​​through games, such as: $ 50 million.
• Mobile banking app The electricity increased $ 131 million Series C, run by Tiger Global Management.
• square buys Credit Karma control unit, Credit Karma Tax, e.g. $ 50 million in cash.