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Deloitte Apps

App appetite wanes as only 10% pay for apps on a monthly basis

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By John McCarthy, Opinion Editor

August 18, 2014 | 3 min read

UK smartphone app downloads have plateaued as interest for newer programs have waned considerably in the last year, according to research from Deloitte

Candy Crush is among the games that will be affected by the slump

The report suggested that app downloads have reached a saturation point in the UK as only 10 per cent of mobile users purchase apps or other content at least once a month.

It added that just under a third of smartphone users never download apps at all, this has risen from 20 per cent last year.

Meanwhile, overall average UK monthly app downloads dropped from 2.3 million to 1.8 million, with new-start app developers having to look side outside of the UK for success.

UK apps have been perfected over the last few years as smartphones grow more popular. With the apps finally catching up to mobile technology, users have been remaining loyal to established apps - especially free ones.

Paul Lee, head of tech, media and telecoms at Deliotte, told Sky News: “People like to say they enjoy change but they don't, they prefer the path of least resistance.

“It's a Darwinian process. Ironically, existing apps are getting better with tweaks and so people feel less inclined to look for new apps.

“We are reaching a limit in the UK in the volume of app store downloads.”

Lee added: “As an early adopter of smartphones and home to many top developers, the UK has become a bellwether for the rest of the mobile industry.”

This comes after King, owner of leading game app Candy Crush announced a share fall of 22 per cent in the second quarter - with the firm’s value slumping like the reported overall demand for apps in general.

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