CEA: Despite Reluctance to Pay, Average Amount Spent on Apps Approaches $40/yr

In a new report, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) forecasts app usage will continue to increase through 2014, as US households download a greater number of apps to smartphones, tablets and smart TVs, among other devices.

Each app-enabled device category evaluated by CEA in its “16th Annual CE Ownership and Market Potential Study” registered year-over-year growth in the first part of 2014. Gaining at least six percentage points in app-ownership over 2013, smartphones, tablets and smart TVs were the fastest growing device categories, according to a CEA news release.

There were over 1 million apps on both Apple and Google Android’s app markets at the beginning of 2014. Generally speaking, app users are interested in apps that have compatibility across a range of devices (61 percent), and a high level of functionality, such as the ability to control other devices (52 percent), CEA found. Two-thirds (67 percent) said they enjoy using apps, 59 percent said the number of apps available is overwhelming. Less than half (46 percent) of respondents agreed that apps “remove the need to purchase separate electronic devices.”

As much as they like using them, consumers don’t like to pay for apps. Just one-third (32 percent) of those surveyed said they are willing to pay for apps.