China overtakes US in Apple iOS app downloads

SINGAPORE: China has overtaken the United States in terms of Apple iOS app downloads.

Mobile analytics company App Annie reports that China downloaded more iPhone applications than the US in Q12015. It is the first time since App Annie began measuring downloads by country in 2010 that the US was not on top.

The result was in line with the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus late last year that came with larger screens than previous models. Chinese consumers have long preferred large-screen smartphones.

"In Q42014, shipments of smart phones with screen sizes between 5- and 7-inches constituted roughly 60 percent of total smartphone ship ments in China as compared to roughly 40 percent worldwide and in the United States," the report said. "Thanks to this, the iPhone's share of the smartphone installed base crossed 7 percent in 2014."

Games and photo or video apps drove most downloads, the report said.