According to the Strategy Analytics, app downloads will generate more than $57 billion globally between 2008 and 2017. However, it expects that revenue from paid apps will begin to decline as the popularity of free apps continues to increase. By 2017, free apps will comprise 91 percent of all app downloads forcing the average selling price for all smartphone apps to just 8 cents. "Paid downloads remain an essential component of the app ecosystem,” said Josh Martin, Director of Apps Research at Strategy Analytics. “Paid downloads will remain an important way for smaller developers to monetize their efforts,” he added. However, developers looking to make money could be advised to developing apps for tablets, suggested Martin. “For developers committed to paid downloads transitioning to tablets may be the smartest way to preserve the business model over the long term.”