The Problem / Context
The EU's Digital Markets Act was reshaping app distribution, opening the door to third-party app installers. Meta needed independent consumer evidence on awareness, trust, security perceptions, and usability expectations around alternative app stores — to inform regulatory discussions across the UK, EU, and US.
My Role
Research lead. Identified the opportunity to generate independent consumer evidence, commissioned Ipsos as the external research partner, and led the entire program end-to-end — from defining the research agenda through to publishing findings and engaging regulators.
Methodology
- Mixed methods study conducted by Ipsos
- Quantitative survey experiment with 800+ adults per market across the US, UK, France, and Germany
- 48 qualitative in-depth interviews
- Testing of both high-friction and low-friction prototype app installer experiences
Key Findings
- Awareness of alternatives was extremely low — 86% of EU respondents didn't know how to download an app outside of Google or Apple.
- Excessive security warnings increased anxiety and download abandonment rather than building trust.
- Low-friction experiences informed users just as well as high-friction ones, without the confusion.
- Regional differences existed: German users prioritised speed, French users leaned toward transparency, but both groups were deterred by overly complex flows.
- Brand recognition was a key trust signal — users were more open to installers from known, established companies.
What I Delivered
- Research agenda and study design, in partnership with Ipsos
- Published research report
- Regulator and policymaker engagement materials
Outcomes / Impact
The research was published by Ipsos and used to support engagement with regulators and policymakers evaluating app store competition and digital market regulations across multiple jurisdictions.