Technology

Apple, Developers Feasting on People’s App-etite for Apps

Published

9 years ago

January 9, 2015

In this Sept. 19, 2014 file photo, a customer shows off the new Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at a store in Tokyo. Apple Inc. on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015 said that its App Store customers set a record for billings by spending nearly half a billion dollars on apps and in-app purchases during January’s first week. It said New Year’s Day was also the single biggest day ever in App Store sales history. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi, File)

MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple and thousands of mobile software developers are feasting on people’s ravenous app-etite for apps.

Users of iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches spent nearly $500 million on applications and in-app services during the first week of the year, according to figures released Thursday. That’s the highest weekly volume recorded by Apple Inc. since the Cupertino, California, company opened its App Store seven years ago and revolutionized the way people connect with online services and play games.

If sales continue at the same opening-week pace, Apple and the makers of the apps would split up about $25 billion in revenue. Apple’s revenue-sharing formula calls for 70 percent of app sales to be paid to the developers with the rest kept by the company.

This year’s fast start came after Apple’s app billings surged by 50 percent in 2014, according to Thursday’s breakdown. The increase produced more than $10 billion for app developers. That implies Apple reaped somewhere from $4 billion to $5 billion in revenue from its App Store last year, based on the company’s 30 percent commission. Apple didn’t disclose how much it made from the App Store last year.

Most analysts expect the App Store will contribute a bigger piece of Apple’s future profits as people become more dependent on their mobile devices, encouraging developers to create even more services tailored for the gadgets. The latest version of Apple’s mobile software, iOS 8, already is fueling demand with new categories for home and health management, as well as the opportunity to install alternatives to Apple’s built-in keyboard for the first time.

What’s more, Apple plans to release a line of smartwatches this spring that’s likely to unleash another wave of app purchases.

As popular as it is, Apple’s App Store lags behind Google’s Play Store for Android devices in terms of total downloads, according to the analytical firm AppAnnie. That’s largely because about 2 billion devices running on Google’s free Android software have been shipped so far. Apple has sold more than 828 million mobile devices since the 2007 release of the iPhone.

But the smaller number of people using Apple’s devices spends far more money on apps than Android’s largest audience, according to AppAnnie and other analysts. That’s because Apple’s products are higher priced and tend to attract more affluent buyers than the Android product line does. With less income to spend, Android users are more apt to focus on the wide range of free apps available for smartphones and tablets.

Google Inc. hasn’t released last year’s billing statistics for its Play Store. In late June, the company said the Play store had distributed about $5 billion to developers since opening its own app market in June. A Google spokeswoman said the company had no further updates to disclose Thursday.

Apple says its app developers have made $25 billion since 2008.

The company’s store offers more than 1.4 million mobile apps in 155 countries.

___

AP Business Writer Michelle Chapman in New York contributed to this story.

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Attorney General Rob Bonta, Oakland Lawmakers, Introduce Legislation to Protect Youth Online

At a press conference in downtown Oakland on Jan. 29, Attorney General Rob Bonta joined Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) to announce two pieces of legislation designed to protect children online. The bills are Senate Bill (SB) 976, the Protecting Youth from Social Media Addiction Act and Assembly Bill (AB) 1949, the California Children’s Data Privacy Act.

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2024

Oakland Post

From left to right: Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), Attorney General Rob Bonta and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) at a press conference introducing legislation to protect young people online.

By Magaly Muñoz

The bills are Senate Bill (SB) 976, the Protecting Youth from Social Media Addiction Act and Assembly Bill (AB) 1949, the California Children’s Data Privacy Act.

Skinner authored SB 976, which addresses online addiction affecting teenage users, while Wicks’s bill, AB 1949, takes on big tech by proposing data privacy and children rights protections.

“Social media companies unfortunately show us time and time again that they are all too willing to ignore the detriment to our children, the pain to our children, the mental health and physical challenges they face, in order to pursue profits,” Bonta said.

SB 976 would allow parents to control the nature and frequency of the content their under-18-year-old children see on social media. Notifications from social media platforms would also be paused from midnight to 6 am and controls would allow parents to set time limits on their children’s usage based on their discretion.

Skinner stated that the longer that kids are on their phones during the day, the higher the risk for depression, anxiety and other related issues.

The bill would also push to get rid of addictive media that is harmful for young women and girls, specifically image filters that mimic cosmetic plastic surgery.

Bonta and 33 other attorney generals had previously filed a lawsuit against Meta, owner of the popular social media applications Instagram and Facebook. The filing claims that the company purposefully uses algorithmized content that harms younger audiences.

“Social media companies have the ability to protect our kids, they could act, but they do not,” Skinner said.

The Child Data Privacy Act would strengthen existing protections for data privacy under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The lawmakers argue that the law does not have effective protection for those under 18 years old.

Wicks stated that the bill would forbid businesses from collecting, using, sharing, or selling personal data of anyone underage unless they receive informed consent, or it becomes necessary for the purpose of the business.

Wicks added that the acts would make it so that a search on the internet like “How do I lose weight?” would not result in dieting pill advertisements targeting youth, which, some experts report, could be harmful to their mental and physical health.

“In a digital age where the vulnerabilities of young users are continually exploited, we cannot afford to let our laws lag behind, our children deserve complete assurance that their online experience will be safeguarded from invasive practices,” Wicks said.

Supporters of the two acts say they have gained bipartisan support issue, but the authors and Bonta expect them to be met with pushback from the affected companies.

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Unleashing the Power_ Discover the The Thrills…F-TYPE Convertible

Published

4 months ago

December 18, 2023

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Performance & Handling
Powered by a robust 5.0 Liter Supercharged 8 Cylinder Gas Engine, the F-Type R75 doesn’t just purr; it roars with a mighty 575 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with an 8-speed Automatic Transmission, the car offers an exhilarating drive that is both fast and smooth. The All-Wheel Drive system ensures excellent traction and stability, making it a joy to handle in various driving conditions. The Electric Power Assisted Steering and JaguarDrive Control with Selectable Driving Modes add to the car’s agility, providing a driving experience that is as intuitive as it is thrilling. Additionally, the Adaptive Dynamics and Electronic Active Differential with Torque Vectoring by Braking enhance the car’s responsiveness, making every turn a testament to its engineering prowess. Unique to AutoNetwork.com.

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Elevate Your Ride…

Join us for a virtual car’s best-detailed walkaround of the sleek and stylish 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE AWD convertible. Get an up-close look at the exterior design, interior features, and performance capabilities of this luxury sports car. From its powerful engine to its advanced technology, this video will give you a comprehensive overview of what makes […]
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Published

4 months ago

December 18, 2023

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Join us for a virtual car’s best-detailed walkaround of the sleek and stylish 2024 Jaguar F-TYPE AWD convertible. Get an up-close look at the exterior design, interior features, and performance capabilities of this luxury sports car. From its powerful engine to its advanced technology, this video will give you a comprehensive overview of what makes the F-TYPE AWD convertible stand out on the road. Unique to AutoNetwork.com.