App-Annie shows that mid-2013 Japan’s app market has overtaken the US app market in terms of cash revenues, and is today the world’s largest. While free apps achieve larger download numbers in US and Japan, in terms of cash revenues Japan’s app markets are No. 1 globally since mid-2013.
Actually, in addition to apps sold via the iOS App Store and via Android/Google-Play and recorded by App-Annie, a substantial amount of additional business in Japan flows through traditional “Galake” feature phones, and direct via carrier (Docomo, KDDI, Softbank) online markets. Therefore the Japan’s total market is even larger than the Apps Market (iOS + Android/Google-Play) measured by App-Annie.
