It's no surprise that iOS device owners play more games than owners of other mobile devices. The library is unquestionably more extensive on the App Store, and while platforms like Android and Windows Phone 7 are catching up, the leader is clear. Market research company Nielsen discovered exactly how much of a lead iOS has over the platforms: it's almost twice as much. iOS gamers spend an average of 14.7 hours gaming in a month, versus 9.3 hours for Android. That's a lot of bathroom breaks!

Microsoft's fledgling Windows Phone 7 platform performed surprisingly poorly, with only 4.7 hours of gaming per month. Given the platform's integration with Xbox Live and achievements, this figure seems surprisingly low.

Regardless of platform, mobile gaming seems to show no sign of slowing down. Gaming is the most-used type of app on handheld devices, with 64% of surveyed users saying they play games on their phone. Of those people that have previously purchased apps on their phones, 93% of surveyed individuals say they are willing to pay for new game purchases. With such a high retention rate, no wonder so may companies are betting big on mobile.