Can Google Inc (GOOG) Play Users Catch Apple Inc. (AAPL) Here?

Over the past five years, the number of people using Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android devices has been on the rise. This is one of the biggest reasons for the subsequent increase in the number of apps being downloaded, both via the Apple App Store and Google Play.

The Apple App Store has long been king. That being said, Google Play is picking up steam and should be able to make up even more ground in the months to come thanks to the growing popularity of its Android operating system.

Tim Cook and Jony Ive have done big things for the Apple iPhone. The same can be said for Larry Page and Sundar Pichai regarding the Android operating system.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Still Leads Here

The NPD Group recently published and interesting reporting in which they took a closer look at the types of apps being downloaded, as well as how many users are getting involved.

The most interesting information in the entire report was this: nearly all iPhone, iPad, and iPad users download apps.

How crazy is that? The study goes on to show that the number of users who download Apple apps for free is clocking in at right around 95 percent in 2013.

People love getting things for free, and with the Apple App Store this is easy to do.

The real question is this: can Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Play make up ground in this department in the years to come? It is in position to do so, thanks to the sheer number of people relying on Android devices, however, Cupertino has been the market leader for quite some time.

Russ Crupnick, senior vice president of industry analysis for NPD, added that consumers are not rushing to make purchases on iTunes. The number of users are there, but some simply opt for free apps. When they do spend money, it is typically on music and games.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) seems to have things figured out while Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Play continues to stumble around with hopes of one day being on the same playing field.

The number of Apple users downloading free apps is remaining steady.

If you like the way Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is heading as a company, you are in the same boat as these hedge fund managers: David Einhorn, Stuart Peterson, and Mark Diker.

For more information on Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Play, check out the following video. You may be surprised at what you see:

Disclosure: none

This article was written by Chris Bibey