Smartphone games account for 75% of app store spending

Google Play and iOS games accounted for 75 per cent of app store spending last year.

It was a year of major growth for the smartphone sector as areport by IDC and App Annie foundconsumer spend on Google’s Android games store increased by over four times in Q4 2013 compared to the same period of the previous year.

Likewise, global spending on Apple’s iOS App Store more than doubled throughout the same period.

In fact, spending on the iOS platform greatly outpaced both the handheld and Google Play categories. The indexed consumer spending on iOS games topped 200m whilst handhelds and Google Play reached between 120m and 130m.

"While consumers have traditionally spent more on games versus other types of apps, more than 75 per cent of combined iOS and Google Play consumer app spending in 4Q13 came from games," said Bertrand Schmitt, CEO of App Annie.

"This is a significant increase compared to Q4 2012 and a testament to the ever-growing popularity of games."

The report also identified significant growth for Nintendo’s 3DS console.

Nintendo’s handheld shifted an additional 10m games last year compared with the year before, with 30m games shipped in total. Vita and PSP combined shifted around 8m. (Data does not include digital exclusive games)

Overall, boxed and full-game digital spending on these handhelds rose by nine per cent between 2012 and 2013.

The top three grossing games on 3DS, Vita and other handhelds were dominated by Nintendo with Pokemon X&Y, Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon.

Elsewhere, Clash of Clans, Puzzle & Dragons and Candy Crush Saga proved most popular on iOS, whilst Puzzle & Dragons, Candy Crush Saga and Monster Taming for Kakao rounded out the Google Play store’s Top Three.