Millenial Media, the largest independent mobile advertising network (AdMob is tied with Google, iAd with Apple), has announced that iOS and Android impressions for its ads are once again equal, with November’s data revealing that 38% of ad impressions came from iOS devices, and 38% from Android. This marks little change from last month’s position, where the two conglomerates held 37% each. The new data implies that the battle for technological ground between Apple and Google is becoming more and more competitive and, with the holiday season firmly in place, maximum sales and exposure are more crucial than ever in an area that was once dominated by Apple.

Android is beginning to see the fruits of its labour, as it has now averaged an astounding 10% monthly growth for the past four months running. Developers are jumping on board, with Android being named the leading platform developers plan to support, while Apple and Microsoft (Windows Phone 7) remain tied for second place. In addition, more than half of the revenue generated from application purchases in the month of November went into Android, with Apple clinching a relatively poor 39%. However, the figures cannot be taken entirely in stone. In considering the wider context, Apple’s longer-term presence and market establishment would suggest that many consumers are now content with the applications that they have bought, and are now spending less. In contrast, Android’s relatively new presence means people are still purchasing apps in a flurry and immersing themselves in the Android experience. Let’s not forget that the Apple App Store has experienced 7 billion downloads to date, with the first billion occurring within just nine months of the App Store’s opening.

Though this may be a hardware battle, each platform is only as good as the applications that it hosts. iOS developers should be thinking with innovation in mind, creating (or updating) applications that have both form and function: an application should be enjoyable to use as well as being useful. The iOS platform allows for exactly that, provided you start with an idea.

The competition is certainly heating up in the applications market, but it is worth noting that all of Millenial’s data is US-only, meaning the global game is still open for question. Android sells its paid-for applications in 29 countries to date (source), whereas Apple has a presence in over 65 countries. The game is certainly heating up.

Everything iOS developers need to know for the Android market can be found right here.

[Sources: techCrunch and Mobile Marketer]

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