Report: iOS and Android apps fighting for retention, not discovery

users don't stick, because most apps do not map to real user needs. they create technology-wise user 'needs'. you can even call it 'app-bubble'. developers are aware of the 'throwaway' nature of apps. but it's much easier to do technology-wise than start to learn what users actually needs. and due to the relative infancy of the field, users may not know what they need..

Regarding the report, it would be interesting to learn on any commonality in the 4%-9% of apps that do stick.

For me it's the sheer time and space issues. Only having the 8GB 3GS that means lots of choosing. You only start with 6GB and change, and should really keep 300-500MB around for data (Dropbox, new apps, photos, etc, etc, performance...) more of my phone is Apps with about 2GB music and no video because it eats too much space. You get one AAA game at 750MB -1.5GB and you're rapidly making tough choices.

You basic productivity stuff doesn't eat much space, but is to manage DATA. IWork, photo apps, Dropbox, etc. toss in the common "media apps", NPR, BBC, Engadget, IMDB, etc and the "pocket change" apps to "cover the bases" add up fast.

I have 85+ apps now, most under 20MB. But I have another 30 (mostly games) I'd love to keep but can't. The app needs to be something I use nearly every day, or important for reference to stay on the phone. Devs definitely need to be pushing Apple to drop those 8GB models because it's crimping the Apps you can buy. (and Apple's 30%!) We're definately in the "wild growh" phase because there is so much to DO with iPhone and iPad you make your little eyes bleed just trying to see it all!

I'd like to hear more about 'the growing amount of tools out there for app discovery.' Can someone recommend a few of the more interesting ones? Seems like most of the review web sites just focus on the same stuff and a bunch of games while more interesting tools like, say LeafSnap, I only find out about randomly.

Hmm... Trying to think of my own app usage here. The apps I use the most are education related apps. I use Scanner Pro for turning images I import from a dedicated camera into proper scan-looking PDF files, annotate them in a note taking app, and save them in a document viewer app. I kept those two references, generic, because I have indeed switched what apps I use for that quite recently. Currently using Goodnotes for annotation - switched from Underscore Notify - and Goodreader for document viewing/storage - switched from iBooks. I have to say though, the rest of what I use has been with me for quite a while. The reason I switched to Goodnotes is that the Underscore Notify developers havent bothered updating the app in coming up on a year. As for Goodreader, it simply has more features than iBooks.

Then again, I probably use the iPad on a much more productive level than most. Games don't stay long on my device before I get bored, and the same goes for various apps that look shiny in the app store but aren't really all that overwhelmingly fun or useful in person. I think developers should learn from Cocoabox, the developer behind Penultimate; they do updates that really add functionality, and they do it right. If you don't update your app and keep it alive, then people won't stick around. Once you've made a fan community around your app like Cocoabox has, people won't mind if you charge for addition features to cover the cost of updates even, as long as they're coming. Many developers seem to think that once the app is out there, their job is done.

I think retention is only an issue for the fremium apps where they have a potential steady stream of income from the same person. Does it really matter to the developers of Angry Birds how often I play it? Whether I play it only once or 200 times, I've paid for it once and playing more doesn't magically mean more money for them.

Umm, quality, not quantity?