Consumer spends on apps grew 20%; crossed $76 bn globally in 2018: App Annie

The app economy is on the rise. As showcased by App Annie, a leading app analytics and market data platform, global app downloads across iOS and Google Play surpassed 113 billion in 2018. This was a 10 per cent hike over 2017. App Annie further stated that consumer spend grew 20 per cent year over year, surpassing $76 billion globally. 

The primary factor fueling growth has been mobile games – the most popular and profitable gaming format – as well as ever-increasing revenue from in-app subscriptions in non-gaming apps. 

According to App Annie, mobile commanded a greater share of consumers’ time in 2018 than ever before. During the year gone by, the average smartphone user in the US spent nearly 3 hours each day in apps, up 10 per cent from 2017 and up 20 per cent from 2016. 

The most popular & profitable games and apps of 2018 

New genres & categories, social video and hyper-casual games made 2018 another transformative year for mobile. Based on data from Apple’s iOS App Store and Google Play, Facebook Messenger and Facebook topped the list of most downloaded apps worldwide, followed by WhatsApp Messenger, Tik Tok, Instagram, UC Browser, ShareIt, Snapchat, Netflix and Vigo Video. 

When it came to consumer spends on apps Netflix topped the charts, followed by Tinder, Tencent Video, iQIYI, Pandora Music, Kwai, YouTube, Youku, LINE and HBO Now. 

Helix Jump, Subway Surfers, PUBG Mobile, Free Fire and Love Balls were the top five most downloaded games globally on iOS App Store and Google Play. As far as consumer spends on games were concerned the top 5 games were Fate/ Grand Order, Honour of Kings, Monster Strike, Candy Crush Saga and Lineage M. The much debated Pokemon Go was placed at No. 7.