IndustryGamers - Informing the Games Industry

iPhone OS Development 'Explodes' Due to iPad, says Flurry

Posted February 12, 2010 by James Brightman

Since Apple unveiled the iPad, the device has been met with mixed reactions. Analysts believe the tablet will have limited appeal to gamers, although some app store game developers seem excited. Even Unreal Engine maker Epic Games likes its potential, and one developer said the iPad is truly "revolutionary."

All the buzz around the iPad seems to have had a very positive effect, as mobile analytics firm Flurry has reported that developer support has "exploded" since the unveiling. "Developers integrating Flurry analytics into iPhone OS applications in January increased by nearly three times over December. This represents the single largest spike in Flurry history, with over 1,600 new iPhone OS application starts for January," the company stated. "Historically, Flurry has measured surges in new application starts within its system in anticipation of new device launches, including for the Motorola Droid and iPhone 3GS. As such, we hypothesize that excitement generated by Apple's iPad event in January is driving this growth. For developers who get a jump on customizing their applications for the iPad, there may be an opportunity to stand out early on, and earn more downloads."

Interestingly, the iPad news also seems to have hurt the competing Android development platform. Although Android seems to be gaining more support of late (month-over-month growth for Android averaged 25% in the second half of 2009), Flurry found iPhone and Android moving in reverse directions in January (see chart below). 

"Flurry measures the relative support developers dedicate to iPhone versus Android platforms by tracking new application starts within its system. While Android's steady new application growth over the second half of 2009 closed the gap against the iPhone, reaching as many as one out of every three new applications starts within Flurry for December, the recent spike in Apple iPad support has swung the pendulum back in Apple's favor to a level not seen at Flurry in six months," the firm said. "The unprecedented surge in support for iPad is a positive early indicator for its commercial potential."

James Brightman has been covering the games industry since 2003 and has been an avid gamer ever since the days of Atari and Intellivision. He was previously the EIC of GameDaily Biz.