New data published by analytics firm Pinch Media suggests that as many as 1.5 million iPhones and iPod touches have used a pirated application. The company states that it has received data from approximately 4 million jailbroken devices, about 38% of which have used pirated applications—an estimate it claims is low, due to application pirates taking steps to avoid detection. The company also says 60% of paid apps have been pirated, with an average of 34% of installs representing cracked copies once an app has been pirated. Debunking the idea that those using pirated applications are simply taking a “try before you buy” stance, the report also reveals that the percentage of users who try “Lite” or free versions of applications that then purchase the full paid version is roughly 7.4%, while only 0.43% of those who try a pirated copy of an app go on to purchase a legitimate copy.
Charles Starrett was a senior editor at iLounge. He's been covering the iPod, iPhone, and iPad since their inception. He has written numerous articles and reviews, and his work has been featured in multiple publications.