Consumers find value in applications that are convenient, useful and used on a daily basis, while also finding value in apps that fulfill their social and entertainment needs. Strategy Analytics’ Wireless Media Lab recently undertook individual interviews and focus groups with 35 smartphone owners in the US investigating application discovery and defining app quality, and found that consumers do not want applications that are slow, causing glitches within their mobile device or apps that run advertisements and send spam.

With the abundant amount of applications available, consumers find it imperative to only download quality apps. Most consumers define a quality app as:

• Stable and glitch free
• Runs smoothly and quickly
• Easy to use and simple
• Useful
• Functions as expected
• Visually appealing

The research also found that consumers visit a mobile application store a few times per week, with most visiting the app store to search for any updates available for any current downloaded apps, to check to see the featured and top apps at the time or to see if there are any new applications that have been released since their last visit.

Consumers in this study have less than half of the applications downloaded remaining on their device today, with most deleting apps if they find a different app that provides the same functions but in a more efficient way, or the app becomes obsolete and useless to their day-to-day needs.

Strategy Analytics’ research has shown that over 80% of all applications downloaded are free, with the majority of participants having paid for less than 10% of the total number of applications they have downloaded. For apps to hold any monetary value to the consumer, app developers must provide an app that is unique, of good quality and used by the consumer on a daily basis. The application must offer a unique feature that offers a compelling user experience, unlike anything they can receive anywhere else.

For the full report, including, importance of mobile app store features, how consumers discover new apps, consumer activity when visiting an app store, consumer thoughts on profiling and the Facebook App Center, use of apps on tablets and apps and switching operating systems, click here: Consumers Find Highest Value in Mobile Apps that are Convenient and Useful (subscription required)

- Taryn Tulay