The average annual pay for developers of smartphone and tablet applications (apps) increased by 27% in 2012, according to research by ReThink Recruitment.

The research found that senior developers previously earning £55,000 per annum can now expect to earn an average of £70,000.

App developers have also seen an increase in their average daily rate to £350, although this remains slightly behind that of traditional web developers who earn an average of £375 a day.

ReThink Recruitment attributes the rise in salaries for app developers to the growing importance of the ‘app economy,’ and the rapid development of what is widely recognised as a new and lucrative industry.

Michael Bennett, director at ReThink Recruitment, said: “Apps are fundamentally changing the way consumers and businesses think about the web, especially with smartphones and tablets fast becoming the standard way to get online.

“There are a growing number of app development consultancies, which are becoming big and significant employers. These consultancies are increasingly prepared to pay very high salaries for app developers with the right kind of skills.”