App downloads are likely to be dominated by content that is free at the point of purchase in 2012.
A new study from ABI Research indicates this kind of digital product will outpace its pay-per-download equivalent in the next 12 months.
This business model is referred to as freemium, as it is monetised through in-app purchases of extra content.
Senior analyst for mobile services at ABI Mark Beccue said this is very limited from a business perspective at the present.
He explained this is because it is limited to a small number of dedicated mobile gamers.
However, senior analyst of mobile media for IHS iSuppli Jack Kent claimed people largely prefer this model.
"We don't believe the percentage of mobile game players making in-app purchases will grow significantly, so for in-app purchase revenues to grow, mobile developers other than game developers must adopt it," Mr Beccue asserted, suggesting more providers will start to respond to this demand.
Posted by Helen Jenkins