iPhone users lead way in mobile game downloads

The number of iPhone users downloading mobile games to their devices jumped 14 percent in November, putting them in the lead of all mobile-phone game downloaders in the U.S. that month, according to a ComScore report released Friday.

The figures, based on a year-over-year comparison of three-month averages, showed that game downloads in November rose 17 percent overall to 8.5 million.

(Credit: ComScore)

Although mobile subscribers users are increasingly putting their phones to work to download games, only 3.8 percent of all U.S. mobile phone users took the time to download a game in November, according to ComScore.

However, a significantly higher percentage of all iPhone users, 32.4 percent, downloaded a game that month, according to the report.

Mark Donovan, a ComScore senior analyst, said in a statement:

The rapid growth in smartphone adoption in the United States has provided a boost for mobile gaming, as 34 percent of those downloading a game in November did so using a smartphone.

Last year, not one smartphone appeared in the top 10 devices used for mobile downloads. This year, six out of 10 are smartphones, excluding devices with smartphone-like functionality, such as the Instinct and Voyager, which also make appearances.

[umbrae]

That's because you have to go through iTunes to get your games; where as most of the other phones don't have a purchase tracking system. I have put tons of games on my phones, but I have never bought them from the Cell phone service or anything else that would track it. They were personal installs directly to the device.

However, iPhones pretty much require you use iTunes; unless you jailbreak, but few people go through the trouble of jailbreaking the iPhone.

[Romriech]

The number of people who jailbreak their iphones, or that download games directly are very likely insignificant.

The real numbers are measured here.

Its *remarkable* what happens when you make something easy to do. People do it!

And with so many people already active in the iphone ecosystem, and so many developers already taking advantage of it, it will be both more difficult, and more important for other companies to follow suit.

[ballmerisanape]

It might also have to do with the QUALITY of the games offered on the iPhone/Touch platform. Playing Snake on your Nokia is hardly the same Spore on your iPhone...

[ballmerisanape]

You know.. I would think about using a Windows Mobile device.... but none of my games will play on it ;)

[seven7dust]

I feel this is actually a bad thing
cause all the other apps r being neglected
while games r the only thing everyone is focussed on
this is a bad development indeed

especially cause there's so many other amazing apps
like financial apps,travel apps,music apps, even books
and my new favorite lifestyle apps
unique ones like ocarina and zephyr
and many more innovative ones {especially the Remote apps}

there's like 14 categories in the app store but almost
every one of the top 100 apps is either from games or entertainment

don't believe me check appvee.com {the largest iPhone App review site}
they started of great but do only game reviews nowadays !

[3pmstudios]

There are some great apps in the education category that are not games.