Apple, Facing Criticism, Says Outside Apps Thrive on IPhone (1)

Apple Inc., looking to address criticism of its competitive practices by the European Union, developers and U.S. lawmakers, pointed to a report showing that third-party apps are thriving on the iPhone and other devices.

In a study published by Analysis Group and touted by the iPhone maker, analysts said that Apple’s own apps are infrequently the dominant option and only account for a small share of app usage.

“We found that Apple’s own apps, while used by many, are rarely the most popular of a given type and are eclipsed in popularity by third-party apps for nearly every country ...