GigaOm estimates the iPhone app economy to be about $2.4 billion a year, plus with some figures on how much the average iPhone user spends:

“Each month, Android and iPhone users download approximately 10 new apps, while iPod touch owners download an average of 18.”

I’m not the best example because of reviewing iPhone apps on this blog, but that average feels right – I probably average about $20 – $30 a month for iPhone apps.

Besides the apps themselves, one big reason I keep downloading ‘em is I habitually hook up my iPhone to my Mac every night for charging reasons (perhaps the short battery life is a conspiracy). So it’s all set to sync. Plus, my account info is stored in iTunes by default, and iTunes is constantly open since it’s feeding content to the Apple TV. So the iPhone app purchasing process is constantly, a few clicks away.

Apple has essentially created such a seamless, easy-to-use system for getting money out of my wallet, I almost do it subconsciously. It’s so easy, making purchases on other sites (eBay, Amazon) can seem like a chore.

Obviously, this seamless ecosystem is a huge barrier for other smart phone manufacturers to overcome. Just replace “song from iTunes” with “app for the iPhone” and it all becomes clear. Purchasing an iPhone app is as simple as buying music from iTunes, which millions of iPod junkies are already comfortable with doing.

So there is a steady stream of people hooked on the iPod, familiar with purchasing content via iTunes, primed to make the jump to the iPhone, where there is hardly a learning curve to start buying iPhone apps. Meanwhile, Palm and RIM don’t have an MP3 player on their side.

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Posted In: Apple, iPhone Apps

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