Apple has worked hard to position the iPod Touch as a portable gaming platform, and according to a recent study by ComScore, they have succeeded in doing exactly that.

The comprehensive study, released yesterday, shows that both the Touch and the iPhone, according to apps installed, have a user base that has bought into the mobile gaming platform concept. Based on the number of apps actually installed on iPhone and Touch units:

12 of the top 25 apps are games.

3 of the top five apps are games.

The top app is a game.

That most-installed application is Tapulous’ Tap Tap Revenge, a “Dance Dance Revolution” rhythm game. The other two games in the top five were Touch Hockey: FS5, and Pac-Man, according to a PC Magazine story. Given that the primary uses for the iPhone and the iPod Touch are as a cell phone and an MP3 player, respectively, the dominance of games as installed apps is more than a little surprising. Apple thought that the gaming idea would sell, and they were obviously right.

Brian Jurutka, vice president of ComScore, had this to say: “It’s impressive that a game like Tapulous’s Tap Tap Revenge can attract a higher penetration among Apple app users than apps for larger and more established brands. Tap Tap’s success demonstrates that there is ample opportunity in the app space for any publisher to obtain significant distribution with a product that engages users. Since the number of app users is growing nearly 10 percent each month, that opportunity will only continue to grow for both existing and emerging app developers.”

The pack-leading Tap Tap Revenge was the most downloaded application, at almost a third, or 32 percent, of all users. Backgrounds, a program which allows a user to change the background image of the screen, was the second most downloaded application. Touch Hockey, Facebook, and Pac-Man rounded out the top five.

Apple has shown that it can capture the gaming market on its mobile platforms. It remains to be seen if they can be as successful in capturing the business app marketplace. With new iPhone models due out in June, along with a vastly enhanced operating system, it is likely that both platforms will continue to have success in gaming, and will make make up ground on the business side by taking advantage of hooks in the new operating system.

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Entry was posted on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 at 2:23 pm under Games, iPhone, iPod Touch.  Print This Post

Read more entries by Michael W. Jones.
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