A Quarter of Smartphone Owners Delete Mobile Apps to Free Up Storage Space
A Quarter of Smartphone Owners Delete Mobile Apps to Free Up Storage Space
A new survey suggests app developers can decrease the likelihood of users deleting their app by critically thinking about what can be stored locally and what can be stored in the cloud.
WASHINGTON, March 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A full quarter of smartphone owners (25%) most recently deleted an app simply because their phone's storage space was full and they needed room. The finding suggests app developers should analyze how much storage space their mobile apps require and whether the size of the app is necessary.
The Manifest, a business news and how-to website, surveyed more than 500 smartphone owners who use at least three apps daily to better understand people's habits when it comes to selecting, opening, and deleting mobile apps.
The need for more storage space ranked third among reasons for deleting apps, behind "I hadn't used the app in a long time" (32%) and "the app didn't fulfill my needs" (26%).
It can be particularly challenging, however, for businesses to have people delete their app simply because users needed storage space. Experts advise developers to critically think about what is stored locally on the app and what is available via an internet connection.
"Make sure that everything stored on the device is necessary," said Alex Levin, co-founder of L+R, a Brooklyn-based creative agency. "Keep it really lean - don't have images or content that don't need to be there. Make sure these things are instead pulled down from the cloud or generated with native code."
An app shouldn't be exceptionally large, experts say, but it should be accessible when the user doesn't have an internet connection, such as when travelling internationally, commuting in subway tunnels, and other similar scenarios.
Users Often Underreport Mobile App Usage
People often underreport how often they use apps. When asked about their overall daily app usage, 32% of respondents say they open any mobile app on their phone only 1 to 10 times a day - a low estimate, experts say.
"There tend to be large differences between 'self-reported' estimates of behavior and actual measures of behavior," said Dr. Sheana Ahlqvist, lead UX researcher at PhD Insights, a user research agency.
When it comes to generations, millennials typically report higher app usage. One in five millennial app users (21%) say they open a mobile app more than 50 times a day, compared to just 2% of baby boomers.
Although millennials use apps more, they may also be reporting their app usage more honestly, experts say.
"[Older respondents] may want to assume that they're not so reliant on their phone," Levin said. "Whereas younger respondents are answering in a less aspirational way because they don't think of it as negative. They feel fully empowered and know that technology is here as a way to help them with their everyday life."
This suggests that younger users likely have less stigma associated with high mobile app usage.
Businesses can use The Manifest's report to build more targeted and meaningful apps for their audience.
To read the full report and source the survey data, visit: https://themanifest.com/app-development/mobile-app-usage-statistics-2018.
For the raw data, a comment on the findings, or an introduction to the experts interviewed for this report, contact Riley Panko at 191886@email4pr.com.
About The Manifest
The Manifest is an online publication that compiles and analyzes practical business wisdom for innovators, entrepreneurs, and small and mid-market businesses. Use The Manifest as an approachable tour guide through every stage of the buyer journey. With three main offerings, data-driven benchmarks, step-by-step guides, and agency shortlists, The Manifest strives to make your business goals a reality.
Contact
Riley Panko
191886@email4pr.com
(202) 899-2779
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SOURCE The Manifest
