The pendulum is beginning to swing the other way. The rush to build apps for smart phones may have passed as users have grown savvy enough to not install them due to infringements (real or perceived) in their privacy. Now, I have been a long-time proponent to building applications sparingly because the consumer of the app will eventually ‘smarten up’ to access provided. That day has come. First, you can read the whole report and survey questions at www.pewinternet.org but here are a highlight of the results I found interesting:
- 54% of app users have decided to not install a cell phone app when they discovered how much personal information they would need to share in order to use it
- 30% of app users have uninstalled an app that was already on their cell phonebecause they learned it was collecting personal information that they didn’t wish to share
- 57% of all app users have either uninstalled an app over concerns about having to share their personal information, or declined to install an app in the first place for similar reasons
- Outside of some modest demographic differences, app users of all stripes are equally engaged in these aspects of personal information management.
- Owners of both Android and iPhone devices are also equally likely to delete (or avoid entirely) cell phone apps due to concerns over their personal information.
So that being said, continue to think realistically about your mobile development and whether the need for the app is business driven or the feel of that is what needed. What is your take on app vs mobile browser?
