The subscription-based productivity service for macOS and iOS, Setapp, is conducting a Mac Developer Survey of developers specializing in iOS and macOS environments for the sixth consecutive year. In the 2022 edition, the study reveals the new ways in which developers distribute their applications, their security choices and the hardware they use to work. The document also discusses the consequences of the Russian invasion in Ukraine on the daily lives of developers.
Various distribution channels
Developers are expanding their app distribution methods to reach potential users. According to the survey, 29% claim to use exclusively means outside the App Store, and mainly their own web, to promote their product. 42% use both the App store and other distribution channels, namely Setapp, Steam, or GitHub.
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Mac Application Distribution Channels. Source: Mac Developer Survey 2022 / Setapp.
The subscription monetization model is also gaining ground. This model interests 31% of developers, while 26% already use it regularly. The survey shows that freemium subscriptions are the most popular, with a price of less than 9.99 dollars per month for 70% of developers.
The Apple Silicon chip is gaining followers
According to the Setapp study, 81% of developers are satisfied with Apple Silicon and 71% have updated their applications so that they can adapt to the chip. 63% of them are equipped with an M1 processor, offering better security compared to devices on Intel, says the report.
To protect against malware, developers (24%) use encryption techniques. In the same perspective, 81% strive to release new versions of their applications within a month of updating the macOS system.
The vast majority of developers are affected by the war in Ukraine
Setapp included in its report a section dedicated to the invasion of Russia in Ukraine, since the company is of Ukrainian origin. The survey indicates that 70% of developers say they have been affected by the conflict. In a show of solidarity, “53% have stopped using software and frameworks from Russia”, concludes the survey.