84% of mobile developers believe the industry cannot survive as long as Apple and Google dominate app stores.
That's according to a report commissioned by Aptoide that examines the duopoly of companies in the mobile market and how developers are looking to alternative app stores as part of their distribution strategy.
Independently conducted by Atomik Research, more than 300 senior level developers from mobile game studios in the US and UK were surveyed in a white paper entitled “Ctrl. Alto. Del. – Rebuilding the game distribution landscape'.
More than half of those surveyed cited “exorbitant app store fees and marketing costs” as the top criticism of Apple and Google, followed by acquisition costs (46%) and “restrictive policies” (44%).
43% of respondents also reported “struggling with discoverability and saturation on major platforms.”
While the “vast majority” of 87% of developers' revenue still comes from Google and Apple stores, 74% “expect alternative app stores to be a major part of their distribution strategy within five years.”
Nearly half believe Google and Apple's “content restrictions” are limiting, and as a result, developers are looking to use alternative app stores to increase revenue share and offerings.
Many developers (73%) “expect double-digit growth from the use” of alternative stores due to “a new user base and greater freedom from restrictive policies.”
“For too long, an entrenched duopoly has stifled commerce and creativity by imposing too many rules and capturing too much revenue,” said Aptoide CEO and co-founder Paulo Trezentos. “Our results confirm that developers are ready to take back control.”
“A new wave of opportunities is emerging from alternative app stores—platforms that offer game developers more control, better economics, and access to untapped audiences.”
Apptoide launched as the first non-Apple iOS store last JuneAnd fully launched to consumers across the EU earlier this year.
