Despite Free-to-Play Explosion, Apple Puts Spotlight on Paid Games

Candy Crush can fend for itself.

2013 Was a Huge Year for Android Gaming

And paid apps on both Android and iOS are falling deeper into obscurity.

News Byte

Kontagent and PlayHaven Announce Merger, Will Join Player Data and Monetization Products

Mobile app analytics platform Kontagent and business engine PlayHaven will merge, the two companies announced today, with PlayHaven’s ex-CEO Andy Yang at the helm of the combined companies, and Kontagent’s ex-CEO Josh Williams becoming CTO and chairman of the board. In an interview, Yang said the decision was spurred by an “extremely fragmented” mobile B2B market and overlap between the companies’ customers. Over time, Kontagent-PlayHaven will integrate the two companies’ products into one suite.

News Byte

Japan Overtakes U.S. in Apple/Google App Store Revenue

Japan is now the top country worldwide in revenue from Apple’s App Store and Google Play, according to a new report from App Annie. The app analytics company attributed the surprising shift to rapid smartphone adoption over the past year in Japan — where feature phones have held on for longer — and explosive growth in Google Play spending, outpacing global trends due to the availability of carrier billing as an alternative to credit cards.

DoubleDown: Women Bet More Than Men in Social Casino Games

Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, ma’am?

With New COO Hire, Snapchat Means (Non-Ephemeral) Business

The company that has proved increasingly popular with teens is starting to grow up.
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Survey Says Mobile Gamers Prefer Kindle Fire Over Tablets With Google Play

But Android phones are still huge, and, thanks to the iPod touch, Apple is on top, overall.

One of the Year’s Most Addictive Mobile Games Doesn’t Seem Like a Game at All

And it’s making money faster than you can say “ninja.”

With Catalogs, Flipboard Dips Its Toe Into E-Commerce

Sort of like all those paper Pottery Barn mags that are filling up your mailbox — only digital.

The Street Believes in Facebook Again