App Developers Aren't in it for the Money

Developers often are quite different from Internet service provider or telecom executives, and that has implications for how ISPs work with developers.

Only about 34 percent of survey respondents say “money” is the primary motivation for developing. Non-material motivation accounts for fully 66 percent of the primary motivations for developing.

So, in working with developers, it might often be the case that the desire to be rich takes a back seat to creativity, peer recognition and fun. Unless ISPs emphasize recognition, fun and ability to be creative, they often will face cultural issues when trying to work with and woo developers.

Almost 75 percent of the developers surveyed by inMobi have been in the industry for less than three years. And most work solely or very small firms.

Just eight percent of firms have more than 20 employees. In fact, some 47 percent of respondents work by themselves. the inMobi survey suggests.

Games and entertainment are the two largest categories of developer interest, across all regions (Asia, North America, Europe).

Some 42 percent of app developers have one to three apps on Google Play, while 28 percent of have one to three apps in the Apple App Store.

Java, JavaScript, HTML5 are the most preferred languages for designing and developing apps.

And few make significant money developing apps. Some 55 percent of developers make $1000 per month.

Monthly average mobile app revenue globally is under $6,000.  

About 63 percent of developers say advertising is the revenue model for their apps, while a third say in-app purchases are the revenue model.

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