Details of iOS device usage explained

For startup founders and mobile app developers, this study is important in terms of understanding the customer base, and how they use their devices, especially if they’re targeting a group that fits into a couple of different personality types. The study was based on an analysis of a random sampling of 44,295 iOS users on Flurry’s network in May. The company currently measures activity on 397 million active iOS devices, which gives it a large enough footprint to draw its conclusions.  One of the findings was that the general iOS population skews more to iPhone (72%) than iPad (28%).

It’s interesting to note that new mothers skew toward iPhone, but later on prefer the iPad. Flurry theorizes that this is because newer moms don’t have as much free time for leisure activities like reading and gaming.  The groups that skew toward iPad include pet owners, home design enthusiasts, and small business owners. Some of these findings may seem like common sense, but it’s good to have the data to back up the final conclusions.  

Flurry also looked into the time spent in apps on the different devices. Overall, iPad owners spent 42 percent more time in apps than iPhone owners during the month. iPhone owners spent more time using navigation, health and fitness apps, while iPad owners, on average, spent more time in educational apps, and those in Reference and Newsstand sections.  iPads were more heavily used than iPhones at night, around 6 to 11 pm, while insomniacs will pull out their iPhone more than their iPad around 2 to 4 am.