This has been proven in the past, but it seems that the gap between how much iOS users spend online, compared with their Android smartphone-owning contemporaries, is continuing to widen, according to a study published by Poq Studio.

Over the course of December last year, the typical iPhone or iPad customer could be expected to spent around £60.43 per online order placed from their device. Meanwhile, Android customers were a little more frugal, spending an average of £43.13, reports Econsultancy.

In addition to spending more when shopping from mobile sites and apps, iOS users also represented the vast majority of the total in-app spending registered at the end of last year. This may well have a lot to do with the fact that Apple has ensured that its customers are used to the idea of paying for mobile software services and downloads, whereas Google’s Android is a little less focused on generating revenue in this way.

Roughly 2.3 per cent of iOS users were converted to paying customers, compared to just 1.6 per cent of Android fans. And so it is apparent that the iPhone-owning population of the UK is going to be more of a target for retailers offering safe shopping online.

Retailers will also have to work on building trust amongst consumers, as a new report from MEF, found that 49 per cent of people are not very trusting of mobile apps, which can end up putting them off the idea of making a purchase.

Thirty four per cent said that this diminished respect for the security and reliability of mobile apps was preventing them from carrying out more of their shopping from their portable device. So hopefully, 2015 will be the year in which these concerns are adequately addressed.