Latest Fiksu Indexes Reflect Impact of iPhone 6 Launch on App Use and Marketing Spend in August

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Sep 26, 2014) - According to the latest app competition and marketing cost Indexes from Fiksu, August was a month of "wait and see" reflected by lowered app install activity for both Android and iOS users and lower marketing spends. Summer holiday slowdowns, along with anticipation for Apple's new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices and iOS 8, resulted in a decrease in app marketing costs, with the Cost Per Loyal User (CPLU) Index at $1.86, down 6 percent month-over-month and 2 percent year-over-year. 

The net effect of the reduction in marketing activity was most visible on Android. Fiksu's Cost per Launch (CPL) Index, which tracks the costs of driving engagement from mobile users, dropped to $.09 on Android, down 23 percent month-over-month and 21 percent year-over-year. Android Cost Per Install (CPI) dropped as well, to $.88, down 31 percent month-over-month and 26 percent year-over-year, both a result of decreased competition. The data indicates now is a good time for app marketers to focus on Android, as costs will inevitably rise again in advance of the holidays.

On the flip side, iOS CPL continued to climb, up $.23 for a 23 percent increase month-over-month and 49 percent year-over-year. CPI dropped 5 percent from July to $1.16, but was still up 40 percent year-over-year. This indicates marketers are spending less, which decreases CPIs, while users were less active with apps in August, causing CPLs to climb.

Fiksu's Competitive Index, which measures aggregate daily download volume among the top 200 ranked iOS apps, showed the clear impact of the pre- iOS 8 holding pattern with month-over-month volume dropping 15 percent while year-over-year volume saw a 10 percent deficit. As in years past, we expect this to rebound significantly in the months ahead as marketers first ramp up their spend to re-engage with and target users with new iPhones, and then as we approach the holiday season.

"As we've seen in past years, anticipation for new Apple devices always curtails mobile marketing spend and app installs as users and app marketers eagerly await the new smartphones," said Micah Adler, CEO of Fiksu. "While all eyes are focused on the user experience and functionality of the new iPhones and iOS, marketers shouldn't lose sight of the valuable opportunity to market to loyal Android users at this precise time of year." 

For Fiksu's full August Index analysis, visit http://www.fiksu.com/resources/fiksu-indexes#analysis.

About Fiksu
Fiksu is the leading provider of mobile marketing products. A data-driven mobile ad tech company, the power of Fiksu is fueled by information assets from over 3.2 billion app installs and 4.1 trillion marketing events tracked across 1.7 billion devices. The company's patent-pending Programmatic Mobile Demand Platform applies intelligent technology to proprietary big data to master ALL the challenges of mobile advertising -- including tracking, optimization, media buying and integration. This cohesive approach spans the entire mobile ecosystem and ultimately delivers the best marketing performance. Additionally, Fiksu offers FreeMyApps®, the world's largest app discovery platform where users are rewarded. Based in Boston, Mass., Fiksu is venture-backed by Qualcomm Ventures and Charles River Ventures. More at www.fiksu.com, @Fiksu, and on the Fiksu blog.