Apps are big and smartphone users show very particular preferences when it comes to their devices, according to a recent AdMob survey.

AdMob, the mobile ad network that Google is in the process of acquiring, released the results of its monthly survey of consumer usage and attitudes across the Android, iPhone and webOS application platforms in its January 2010 AdMob Mobile Metrics Report.

The survey found that consumers on the Android and iPhone platforms continue to be actively engaged with applications. Consumers who use iPhone and Android devices showed remarkably similar activity levels – downloading approximately the same total number of applications and spending about the same amount of time using them.

According to AdMob, iPhone users continue to download more paid applications, with 50 percent of users purchasing at least one paid application a month compared to 21 percent of Android users. The survey also included consumers on Palm’s webOS devices and found that while they were active, they downloaded fewer paid and free applications.

The survey also found that the mobile Internet device (MID) category continues to grow rapidly. In July 2009, about 12 percent of requests in AdMob’s network came from these non-phone devices compared to about 17 percent in January 2010. 

Device preferences continued to split down brand lines. The survey asked consumers if they currently own a mobile Internet device or intend to purchase one in the next six months. iPhone users showed the highest level of interest in purchasing an iPad, at 16 percent, compared to 11 percent of webOS users and only six percent of Android users. Approximately the same percentage of Android users were interested in purchasing the Amazon Kindle as were interested in purchasing the iPad.

iPhone users are apparently the most evangelical device users. Ninety-one percent of iPhone users and 88 percent of iPod touch users would recommend their device, compared to 84 percent of Android users and 69 percent of webOS users. iPod touch owners download an average of 12 applications a month, 37 percent more than iPhone and Android users who download approximately nine new apps. webOS users downloaded an average of six applications per month.

Seventy-three percent of Android users are male, compared to only 56 percent of iPhone OS users. The average iPhone user is 14 years older than the average iPod touch user, of which 78 percent are below the age of 24. iPhone represented 47 percent of U.S. smartphone usage in AdMob’s network in January 2010, followed by Android, RIM and webOS devices at 39, seven and three percent, respectively.

AdMob first ran its latest survey in August 2009 and again six months later, in February 2010. The survey was conducted with 960 respondents over a two-week period, spanning consumers on Android, iPhone, iPod touch and webOS devices on the more than 15,000 mobile Web sites and applications in AdMob’s network in February 2010. The survey did not include the RIM platform, as AdMob does not currently serve ads into BlackBerry applications.