Survey Finds More Apps Downloaded, Little More Time Spent Using Them
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - The growing number of apps smart phone users download has not kept pace with the amount of time spent actually using them, according to a new Nielsen survey.
The State of Appnation survey released Wednesday found smart phone owners now average 41 apps per device, compared to 32 in 2011. But the amount of time spent with those apps has only grown 2 minutes, from 37 to 39 minutes per day.
"We're dealing a problem of 'appathy' with 2 p's. There's simply too many apps out there that are chasing a finite amount of time that people have to use them," said John Gerzma, executive chairman at BAV Consulting, a New York brand marketing firm.
KCBS' Tim Ryan Reports:
Gerzma said app developers face an increasing amount of consumer fatigue in the rush to create programs that will engage users in a meaningful way.
There are more than 500,000 apps available for download on iPhones and Android smart phones, but the top 50 apps account for 61 percent of total app usage.
Gerzma pointed to another recent study by TeleNav in 2011 that found one-third of respondents more willing to give up sex for a week that go a week without a mobile phone.
"Clearly we love our smart phones, but the problem really is that the apps are just cluttered."
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