Mplayit Evaluates Google, Android, BlackBerry Usage

As Google will try to win over prospective Android (News - Alert) developers at next week's Game Developers' Conference in San Francisco, Mplayit's latest data from its cross-platform app store on Facebook shows that 'games are four times as popular among iPhone users than the Android user base.'

Also, BlackBerry (News - Alert) users are twice as likely to be looking for game content than Android users, despite the device's strong business reputation.

The data shows that the iPhone (News - Alert) is used for games 64 percent of the time, BlackBerry 33 percent and Android 17 percent. Android is used for mobile apps 83 percent of the time and BlackBerry 67 percent, whereas the iPhone is used for mobile apps 36 percent of the time.

'Android is a powerful platform of compelling APIs, but Google needs to persuade both gamers and game developers to get on board,' said Michael Powers, Mplayit CEO, adding that in his opinion, 'GDC will be a critical opportunity for Google to build the all-important developer momentum that will in time fan out to the ordinary consumer. '

Many industry observers see the growing consumer interest in Android devices, as well as Google's outreach to the game developer community, as evidence of an opportunity for game developers to tap into a growing market. 'However,' Mplayit officials say, 'the data also points to the need for consumer marketers to put Android on the map as a compelling gaming platform,' much in the way that Apple (News - Alert) has done with iPhone.

'Games are the most obvious example - but our analysis shows distinct personality traits for the different platforms,' Powers said. 'IPhone users are in it for fun, Android users want more useful, strategic apps and BlackBerry users are staying true to the platform's business background.'

Company officials say Mplayit's research also shows the Location Based Services category continues to grow in popularity and while Loopt, Foursquare and Gowalla usually get the most attention from media, the analysis shows 'growing consumer interest in lesser known apps on iPhone that include FastMall, AroundMe on iPhone, and BeatTheTraffic on BlackBerry.'

And strangely enough, for the second month in a row, Facebook has had zero presence in Blackberry's top three list in the Social Networking category.

In January, TMC (News - Alert) reported that the iPhone's massive lead in the total number of apps may no longer be translating into a similar advantage in the marketplace, according to an new analysis by Mplayit.