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Mobile analytics agency Flurry has claimed that the combined forces of Apple iOS and Google Android are eating into Nintendo’s handheld market share.
Between 2009 and 2010 Flurry estimates that Nintendo’s marketshare in the US portable gaming market fell 13 per cent to 57 per cent overall. PSP fell two points to 11 per cent.
The big winners, however, were iOS and Android which collectively saw their share jump from 19 per cent to 34 per cent.
"We estimate that iOS and Android game revenue increased from $500m in 2009 to more than $800m in 2010," Flurry observed. "Of this, the significant majority of revenue was generated by iPhone games.
"It’s clear that prolific installed base gains by Apple and Android devices, low priced games (including a very robust free-to-play model enabled by in-app purchases) and seamless digital distribution to games on devices so near to consumers 24-hours-a-day, is driving potent industry-disruption.
"Over 2011, we expect to see continued and significant smart-device game growth fuelled by the recent launch of iPad 2, iPhone coming into distribution on Verizon, the expected release of iPhone 5, a relentless expansion of Android devices by leading OEMs across all major US carriers, and Google’s enablement of in-app purchase billing, a proven key driver in iOS game revenue."
