One of the biggest differences between Android and iPhone users has been that Android users don't do much on their phones.

For example, they use apps less than iPhone users do. And as we learned over the holidays last year, Android users don't shop as much from their phones.

But new data from Flurry Analytics show that users of one type of Android phone are bucking that trend in China. According to the study, Xiaomi smartphone users in China spend more time using apps than iPhone users.

Here's the chart:

Flurry used iPhone app usage as a baseline (which is why it's at 100%) because before now it had highest engagement in apps. Samsung, HTC, and other smartphones lag behind in app usage.

Xiaomi is a startup in China that makes high quality phones with impressive specs, but sells them for at least half the price of top-tier phones like the iPhone 5S or Samsung Galaxy S5. The company has a passionate fan base, and some of called it "The Apple of China."

The company has seen impressive growth. It sold 15 million smartphones last quarter.

So, why does app usage matter?

Developers tend to make apps for the platforms they know will be used the most. Right now, iPhone owners are more likely to engage with apps, which is one of the reasons why we continue to see the best apps come to iPhone before Android, even though Android phones have a much bigger share of the smartphone market.

But if Xiaomi and other Android phone makers are able to reverse that trend, you may start seeing developers give Android more attention, which would make the platform much more attractive to buyers.