No doubt people are downloading more apps than ever from the iPhone store.
But as the number of downloads soars past 60 million, the percentage of those that are used daily continues to slide.
That's according to Greg Yardley, CEO of PinchMedia, a New York startup which provides ad softawe and analytics tools for iPhone developers.
Whereas 20% of the Pinch Media-equipped apps downloaded from the Apps Store were being used daily four weeks ago, that number has slid to 15% and will likely continue to drop, Yardley says.
The company has 30 apps using its tools, which Yardley says have been installed on about 750,000 of the devices, including the original iPhone and the new 3G model.
While Apple is now releasing daily download figures so developers can track their apps, it's not releasing daily usage figures.
That's where PinchMedia, which we first told you about last week, comes in.
PinchMedia, which has partnered with KickApps, is one of several startups betting that the Apps Store ecosystem will be able to nurture and sustain businesses for mobile ad companies. Older startups like AdMob are making plays also.
Given the daily usage figures, you can make an argument that people are getting bored with the majority of iPhone apps.
When most of the apps are free, it's easy for consumers' eyes to be bigger than their attention spans when browsing the Apps Store. Free apps that look cool at first glance but ended up gathering dust will no doubt always clog up people's iPhones.
But the dropping rate of daily usage could have another explanation, says Yardley.
"There's lots of choices out there now. We can expect that number to come down," says Yardley, formerly with RightMedia, now part of Yahoo.
Given that less than one in five apps Yardley is tracking see daily use, iPhone users may start gravitating toward paid apps that offer a free trial period, which very few now provide.
When asked if developers are worried about the low usage rates, Yardley said most are concerned about the length of time it takes to get an app approved for the store.
"That's people's primary concern -- although the process is getting better."
The concern is understandable, because getting first mover advantage on a platform is critical, as Fred Wilson noted in this post when talking about Slide, RockYou and other shops that now dominate the Facebook platform.
My guess is that iPhone platform will follow a similar trajectory, with a handful of entertaining or useful apps dominating the platform while the vast majority get little traction.
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Slide is the largest personal media network in the world, reaching 144 million unique global viewers each month and more than 30 percent of the U.S. Internet audience. We help people express themselves and tell stories through personalized photos and videos created on Slide.com and viewed anywhere on the web or desktop.
Slide's products — including Slideshows, FunWall and SuperPoke! — are popular on top social networking and blog platforms, including MySpace, Facebook, Bebo, Hi5, Friendster, Tagged and Blogger. Slide is also the leading developer on Facebook with more than 84 million applications installed and the most active users than any other developer.
Launched in 2005 and founded by PayPal co-founder Max Levchin, Slide is backed by Mayfield Fund, Blue Run Ventures, Khosla Ventures and Founders Fund.
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AdMob is the world's largest mobile advertising marketplace. Founded in 2006, AdMob allows advertisers to reach their customers on the mobile Web and publishers to increase the value of their mobile sites. AdMob offers both advertisers and publishers the ability to target and personalize advertising to their customers in over 160 countries.Startup/Business
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Ad Infuse delivers highly personalized ad experiences to consumers across all mobile devices. By dynamically inserting targeted ads at the moment of content delivery, Ad Infuse ensures optimal relevancy for the every mobile subscriber. With the utmost respect for consumer data protection, Ad Infuse unlocks new revenue streams for channel owners by dismantling limitations of the current mobile advertising sponsorship model. Evangelizing the growth of mobile media consumption, Ad Infuse is committed to helping mobile operators and content owners reach sustainable efficiency while providing advertisers with ultimate ad effectiveness.
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RockYou is a leading provider of applications and widgets on the web. RockYou widgets include photo slideshows, glitter text, customized Facebook applications and voicemail accessories that are simple to use and enable people to frequently refresh their online style. Founded in 2006, RockYou has over 35 million users, serving over 180 million widget views per day in more than 200 countries. RockYou applications are customized for easy integration across all social networks including Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, Tagged and hi5.