Study: Brazil, Mexico, Russia and Turkey are hot markets for iPhone apps

Developers who create iOS apps for multiple markets should consider distributing their products in the following four growth markets: Brazil, Mexico, Russia and Turkey.

Analytics firm Distimo evaluated revenues in the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store for leading international markets and found that those four countries are increasing their revenues from app sales faster than most other countries, including the United States. The findings are based on a study of revenues generated by the 200 highest-grossing iPhone apps in the Apple App Store for the top 30 countries during May 2012.

Source: Distimo

Distimo found, overall, that revenues for all iPhone apps across the 30 countries studied increased by 67 percent year-over year, despite a decline in revenues in almost all countries in May 2012.

The annual revenue growth rates in Brazil, Mexico, Russia and Turkey ranged from 54 to 115 percent. Russia was the leader in this group, with a growth rate of 115 percent. Brazil was next (83 percent), followed by Mexico (63 percent) and Turkey (54 percent). The U.S., for comparison, grew at a rate of 44 percent.

Distimo also looked at the top-four app categories, according to revenues generated, to assess customer app preferences in Brazil, Mexico, Russia and Turkey. The games category was most popular, generating the most revenue in each country. Entertainment apps were also in the top tier in each of these countries. Navigation apps were popular in Brazil, Russia and Turkey but not in Mexico, where these apps ranked ninth. Books were a top-four category in Russia, but did not do well in the others, especially Brazil and Turkey, where they were among the least-successful apps. Social networking was a top-tier category in Brazil and Turkey but not in Mexico or Russia.

Distimo also noted that as the mobile app market has become more global, the influence of the U.S. on iPhone app sales has lessened. In June 2010, the U.S. generated 45 percent of revenues for iPhone apps distributed in the Apple App Store, Distimo said. In May 2012, the U.S. generated 31 percent of those revenues.

Several East Asian countries were also among the top performers in May 2012, led by Japan, which saw 560 percent growth in revenues since last year. Distimo excluded these countries from this new analysis because it profiled those markets in a separate study last year.

For more:
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