Apple Retains Highest Mobile Ad Revenues Despite Android Challenge

  • Wednesday, February 4th, 2015
  • Author: Tim Maytom
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App Stores Apple iOS vs Google Play AndroidDespite Android capturing 63 per cent of the mobile ad traffic in Q4 2014 and closing the gap in game revenue, Apple managed to keep hold of its lead in ad revenue thanks to its strong position in established markets.

Apples lead in markets like the US, Germany and the UK, where high-value rich-media and video campaigns are common, has enabled it to retain the lead thanks to the high monetisation levels available. The iPad in particular has performed well, generating nearly 13 per cent of ad revenue from only five per cent of impressions.

The figures come from Opera Mediaworks State of Mobile Advertising report, which also showed that while social network continued to receive the most ad impressions, games saw a large leap in traffic, growing from five per cent of impressions in Q4 2013 to 14 per cent in Q4 2014. Games also saw an massive increase in revenue, jumping from three per cent of revenue to 21.4 per cent in a single year.

While the US and Europe still dominate the global ad economy, other international markets are beginning to catch up, with Asia-Pacific responsible for 26.1 per cent of traffic. Africa grew from a one per cent share at the close of 2013 to 4.8 per cent by the end of 2014, with South Africa and Nigeria both entering the top ten of countries in terms of impressions.