Android Has A Clear Advantage Over Apple In The Booming Market For Mobile Personalization Apps

Increasing consumer interest in customizing every part of their smartphone software - including the lock screen, home screens, docks, and task launchers - has led to a boom in demand for personalization apps, particularly on Android.

In a new report on mobile personalization, BI Intelligence discusses how Android's culture of allowing users to tinker under the hood has encouraged adoption of personalization services. In contrast, Apple's iOS mobile operating system puts strict limits on what can be changed - the lock screen, for example, is off limits. That may prove to be a disadvantage in the long-run because mobile personalization apps are growing like weeds on the Android side, and customization is one of the most promising areas in mobile services.

Consider:

• There are 4,500 Android personalization apps operating on Flurry's app analytics platform.
• Usage of these Android services has skyrocketed 1,325%. There were over 6.6 billion user sessions on these apps in the first quarter of 2014. That's compared to just 468 million personalization app sessions in the same quarter a year ago.
• The roughly 7 billion app sessions in the first quarter amount to more personalization app sessions than took place in all of 2013. There were about 5.8 billion app sessions last year.

With consumers responding favorably and usage taking off, expect many more mobile app companies to enter the field, particularly on Android.

Why is customization/personalization important?

• Personalization is important to virtually any kind of mobile service. Individualized feeds, recommendations, and content help apps be more engaging and retain users. This goes for travel apps, e-commerce apps - even games (which might vary game mechanics or themes depending on individual preferences).
• Increasingly, mobile is a differentiation game. The software and hardware side are littered with look-alike products at different price points. Effective personalization can help businesses stand out.
• These tools, and the data they collect, allow for the kind of individualized hyper-targeting that is marketers' Holy Grail.

In full, the report:

• Provides a taxonomy of common personalization services, including app launchers, task automators, and digital concierges.
• Quantifies the addressable markets for leading personalization products like Google Now, Apple's Siri, If This Then That (IFTTT), Aviate, and Cover.
• Addresses key reasons why consumers are taking to this technology, namely the opportunity they offer to streamline the smartphone experience.
• Discusses how marketers can effectively use the data and services offered through personalization services to serve the absolute most relevant content to users.
• Identifies specific mobile ad formats that can successfully integrate into personalization technology and services.

For full access to the Personalization Report and all BI Intelligence's charts, data, and analysis on the mobile industry sign up for a free trial subscription today.