The biennial 2023 App Economy Report by the Progressive Policy Institute was released today. And again, Apple’s iOS platform is the standout performer in Australia. iOS is by far the most lucrative platform for developers when compared with Android’s Google Play Store.
THE PPI REPORT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
- There are 174,000 jobs in the iOS ecosystem within Australia, a gain of 81% compared to 2017.
- Jobs in the iOS ecosystem within Australia have increased 27% from 2021 to 2023 – the highest percentage increase shown between any years since the report was first published 2017.
- There are 174,000 iOS jobs compared to 166,000 Android jobs.
The report said in detail, ” PPI analysis shows the number of Australian App Economy jobs rising to 182,000 as of August 2023. That’s a gain of 61% compared to our 2017 estimate. Our methodology also enables us to identify jobs by mobile operating system. We find 174,000 jobs in the iOS ecosystem, a gain of 81% compared to 2017. We also find 166,000 jobs in the Android ecosystem, a gain of 90% compared to 2017.”
At the same time Apple has announced the 2023 App Store Awards, recognising 14 apps and games chosen by the App Store’s Editorial team. App Store Award winners were selected from nearly 40 finalists for delivering exceptional technical innovation, user experience and design.
“It’s inspiring to see the ways developers continue to build incredible apps and games that are redefining the world around us,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “This year’s winners represent the limitless potential of developers to bring their visions to life, creating apps and games with remarkable ingenuity, exceptional quality and purpose-driven missions.”
2023 App Store Award Winners
Apps
iPhone App of the Year: AllTrails, from AllTrails, Inc.
iPad App of the Year: Prêt-à-Makeup, from Prêt-à-Template.
Mac App of the Year: Photomator, from UAB Pixelmator Team.
Apple TV App of the Year: MUBI, from MUBI, Inc.
Apple Watch App of the Year: SmartGym, from Mateus Abras.
Games
iPhone Game of the Year: Honkai: Star Rail, from COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD.
iPad Game of the Year: Lost in Play, from Snapbreak Games.
Mac Game of the Year: Lies of P, from NEOWIZ.
Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Hello Kitty Island Adventure, from Sunblink.
Cultural Impact Winners
Apple’s App Store Editors also selected five Cultural Impact winners, recognised for their ability to drive positive change through apps and games.
Pok Pok from Pok Pok
Designed with inclusivity in mind, Pok Pok is a digital toy room for kids, offering a universal space for preschoolers of all backgrounds and abilities to play, explore and see the world as one.
Proloquo from AssistiveWare
An accessibility app pioneer for over a decade, AssistiveWare’s Proloquo is creating augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools that help the world communicate in new ways.
Too Good To Go from Too Good To Go
Too Good to Go enables users to minimise food waste by connecting them with restaurants and stores that have a surplus of unsold food at an affordable cost.
Unpacking from Humble Bundle
Unpacking mixes meditative puzzles to create a soul-soothing triumph around familiar experiences of change and connection.
Finding Hannah from Fein Games GmbH
Finding Hannah is a colourful coming-of-age, hidden-object game with inclusive and heartfelt tales that explores the power of healing and self-discovery.
The 15-year-old App Store is home to 1.8 million apps. It was responsible for US$1.1 trillion in developer billings and sales in 2022.