Mobile analytics firm App Annie reports that Google Play revenues in Japan rose 240 per cent in the first quarter of 2014 compared to the same period last year, with Android earnings in Korea nearly doubling in the quarter as well, up 190 per cent from 2013.
Games also generated 90 per cent of Google Play sales worldwide in the first quarter of this year, with freemium apps accounting for 98 per cent of game earnings, according to the report.
“There are now over 1.5 million apps available on Google Play,” said App Annie in the report. “The number of apps grew by around 60 percent between July 2013 and June 2014.”
Revenue growth currently outpaces downloads as well, with global Google Play game revenues up 250 per cent for the period, while downloads rose 150 per cent.
In a December report from analytics firm Distimo (now acquired by App Annie), Google Play Android app revenues also led in Japan and Korea last year, two of the three fastest growing mobile game markets worldwide.
In China, the third rapidly expanding market in 2013, Android games also led by a wide margin, though sales were chiefly via domestic app stores not tracked by Distimo.
According last year’s report, seven of the top ten selling Google Play titles in 2013 were on messaging apps from Japan’s Line and Korea’s KakaoTalk as well.
