Number of Mobile App Downloads in 2024: Statistics, Current Trends, and Predictions

How many people play games on phones?

In 2020, there were over 2.4 billion mobile gamers. With the global population at 7.8 billion, it means that 30.7% play games on their mobile phones. Of all types of games available, casual games have the most players with 58.86% of people who said they play this type of game. It is followed by puzzle (56.5%), arcade (55.08%), and action games (34.19%) (TechJury, 2021).

How much is the average price of an app?

The average price of a paid Android app in the Google Play store as of January 2021 is less than $1. In the app store, there are around 38,695 apps that cost less than a dollar.

What is the most popular mobile game ever?

As of January 2021, the most popular mobile game in the Google Play library by downloads is Among Us, with 30.74 million downloads, followed by Join Clash 3D with 20.63 million. The full list is shown in the following table:

In the same period, the most popular iPhone game title in the US is also Among Us! with 4,399,736 downloads, followed by Roof Rails with 2,041,919 downloads. Here is the full list:

What is the most popular app in the world?

By the number of downloads, TikTok was the most popular app in 2020. The social media platform known for its short-form videos had 850 million downloads. In the previous year, WhatsApp was the king with 759.4 million downloads (Apptopia, 2020).

Around 4.66 billion users are on the internet. That is 59.5% of the total global population. Meanwhile, mobile phone users number 5.22 billion or 66.6% of the world’s populace. These numbers have been increasing steadily over the years and it is highly likely that app downloads would continue going up as well. And with the need to be connected to others while the novel coronavirus still poses a great threat, smartphone users would remain reliant on social media apps.

How many mobile app users are there?

Mobile accounts for almost half of internet traffic worldwide. In the last quarter of 2019, mobile devices (excluding tablets) generated 52.6% of global website traffic, steadily hovering around the 50% mark since the first quarter of 2017.

The Manifest reports that app users are most likely to underreport how often they check apps. The largest percentage of respondents say they check their mobile phones 1 to 10 times daily. But numbers are most likely higher since people often have a hard time estimating their own behavior, especially when it comes to mobile app usage.

What are the most popular social media apps in 2021?

Past the turbulent 2020, WhatsApp takes the top social network worldwide, with 2 billion mobile users (Statista, 2021) accessing the app as of January 2021. Coming in at second and third place, respectively are Facebook Messenger and Weixin/WeChat.

How many mobile apps are there in 2020?

As of the fourth quarter of 2020, mobile app users download between 3.14 million Android and 2.09 million iOS apps (Statista, 2020). According to Statista, the total number of app downloads in 2020 is 218 billion, up from 204 billion in 2019.

Meanwhile, India has become the world’s fastest-growing market for mobile applications on both the Apple iOS and Google’s Android Play Store, with a huge spike in revenue during the third quarter of 2020. The Philippines, which made its first appearance at tenth during the second quarter, climbed one notch higher at ninth.

How many mobile app users are there in the US?

In 2020, the number of smartphone users in the US is estimated to be at 260 million. It’s safe to say that the number of mobile app users in the US is around that figure.

The number of smartphone users in the US is on a steady rise and will steadily increase, with all the advances in telecommunication technology.

How many mobile app developers are there?

App development is a very exciting opportunity, since the potential for app developers to hit it big with one popular app, has led to an explosion of freelancers and programmers working in the app development industry.

An average of more than 30,000 new apps is submitted to the iTunes App store alone each month. Even more so for competing platforms like Android and Windows.

In mid-2016, around 130 billion apps have been downloaded from the Apple App Store worldwide and an estimated 65 billion apps have been downloaded from Google Play.

A 2015 survey of app developers and publishers revealed that the average revenue per app were higher for those developed for the Windows Phone than those for iOS, which generates approximately a third less in revenue, and Android apps, which is less than half of that of Windows.

What is the percentage of successful apps?

Despite the chance of making millions when an app hits big, being a mobile app developer is still challenging and tough. Sweet Pricing reported that less than 0.01% of all consumer mobile apps became successful in 2018. Nevertheless, apps continue to be a common development goal and product focus for aspiring entrepreneurs.

What is the average app size?

Nowadays, the average app size for iOS mobile apps is 38MB while 15MB is the standard for Android mobile apps.

Which is the most expensive Android app?

Apps on Android cost between $1 and $3 on average.

In October 2015, Google set an upper limit for how much an app or game could cost on Play Store, so you won’t find anything over $400.

Before it was taken down, developer Abu Moo has taken “expensive” to a whole new level. But instead of creating one expensive app, he uploaded a series of applications (six to be exact) on Play Store at $400 each. The apps were simply named after precious gems. Here’s the kicker—the apps don’t have any features at all! They are simply widgets that shows the gem on your home screen.

In terms of existing apps on the Play Store, 5-Minute Sports Medicine is the most expensive. It’s an educational app, which contains information on sports medicine.

Which is the highest paid in the Play Store?

As expected, social networking apps had some of the highest revenue collected on Play Store. According to Sensor Tower, Tinder is the highest-grossing app in 2018, earning $274.9 million. Cloud-based file storage Google drive came in second with $164.3 million gross earnings.

Pandora, a music streaming platform, is the third highest-grossing with $132 million. Instant messaging platform Line is ranked fourth with $105.4 million earnings. Bigo Live, a live-streaming social network rounds up the top 5 with $100.4 million.

How many mobile health apps are there?

The mobile health app market has evolved into a whole new interesting category of its own. It refers to medicine and public health services through smartphones. It’s been identified as one of the top three fields to speed up the growth of mobile devices.

There are mobile health apps available to both consumers and healthcare professionals. In 2017, the estimated number of available mobile health apps on average is 325,000, with a 25% year-on-year growth.

How many apps does the average person have in 2020?

Typical smartphone users have 40 apps installed on their mobile phones in 2020. According to research, there are between 60 and 90 apps installed on an average smartphone. But not all of these apps are fully utilized. As a matter of fact, the majority of mobile time of users is spent using three apps only.

Despite the fact that an average person uses 25 apps monthly, 96% of that time is split between ten apps only. As a matter of fact, 75% of apps are used only once after being downloaded.

What are the most downloaded app categories?

SensorTower’s global data digest for the third quarter of 2020 reveals the gaming category dominates the most downloaded apps worldwide in both Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Although the number of gaming app downloads has decreased in the App Store by 4.7% in Q3 2020 compared to the year prior, gaming category remains on top of the list by a wide margin. Meanwhile, Google Play numbers show that the gaming apps’ download has increased by 36.4% since 2019.

What are the top app publishers of 2020?

Based on SensorTower’s 2020 report, Google Play is on top of the global list with approximately 850 million downloads as of the third quarter of 2020. Google is also the first app publisher that crossed the 700 and 800-million mark in terms of the number of app downloads.

The same publishers are on the top three spots in the United States, but with Facebook and Voodoo switching positions.

In terms of the number of applications available, Google Play also takes the lead with more than 3.1 million apps, followed by Apple App Store with over 2 million available apps.

What to expect in mobile app development this 2021?

Because of the pandemic that affected the majority of the world’s population as well as various sectors and industries, there has been a sudden spike in the downloads and usage of certain applications, such as video conferencing, delivery, education, and entertainment apps. Understandably, with the coronavirus still undefeated in 2021, mobile app developers will be focusing more on developing and enhancing communication, learning, delivery, and media streaming apps to ride the demand for applications under these categories.

Another area app developers are expected to explore is the medical application category, particularly for wearable devices. The most recent development in this area is Apple Watch’s blood oxygen app, which allows the device to assess and monitor people who have potentially come in contact with the COVID-19 virus.

These are just some of the many new exciting developments in mobile app development. Most developments are improvements of existing technology such as cloud storage, wearable app integration, and on-demand apps.

The emerging mobile app platform development technologies, rising backend platforms, and microservices, combined with the new hardware capabilities, will continue to drive the evolution of mobile apps.

What are the predictions for mobile app downloads in the coming years?

The mobile app download landscape continues to evolve rapidly, and several key trends point to significant growth in the coming years. Here are some of the predictions for mobile app downloads in the near future:

• Continued Growth in App Downloads: Experts predict that mobile app downloads will continue to increase year after year. In fact, it’s estimated that global app downloads will exceed 250 billion by 2025, driven by growing smartphone adoption in emerging markets.
• Increased Focus on Subscription-Based Models: As more apps transition to subscription-based revenue models, we can expect a rise in app downloads tied to premium content or services. Apps offering health, fitness, entertainment, and productivity subscriptions will likely show steady growth.
• More Downloads in Emerging Markets: Countries in regions like Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America are expected to contribute significantly to the growth of mobile app downloads. As smartphone penetration increases and mobile data costs decrease, these markets will become essential for app developers.
• Expansion of AR and VR Apps: Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) apps are gaining momentum. With advancements in technology and hardware, mobile apps incorporating AR and VR features will boost downloads as these technologies become more mainstream.
• Increased Focus on Mobile Gaming: Mobile gaming will continue to dominate app downloads, with projections indicating that mobile games will account for over half of all app downloads by 2025. Innovations in game development, such as cloud gaming, will further enhance the growth of this segment.
• AI Integration and Personalization: The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will play a pivotal role in app downloads as users are drawn to apps that offer personalized experiences. AI-driven apps, especially in finance, health, and education, will see increased adoption.
• More Focus on Privacy and Security: With growing data privacy concerns, apps prioritizing security features will become more popular. Users will increasingly download apps that ensure their personal data is protected, aligning with stricter data privacy regulations globally.
• Growth in Wearable and IoT Apps: As wearable devices like smartwatches and IoT (Internet of Things) technology become more widespread, we’ll see a surge in apps designed to interact with these devices, further boosting app download numbers.

Key Insights

• Exponential Growth in Mobile App Downloads: Over 218 billion app downloads in 2020, with a projected 25% increase by 2022, highlighting the rapidly expanding mobile app market.
• Dominance of Free Apps: Free apps account for 98% of app revenue globally, underscoring the importance of in-app purchases and advertising.
• TikTok’s Popularity: TikTok was the most downloaded app of 2020, with 860 million downloads, leading the social media app segment.
• High Mobile App Revenue: Global mobile app revenue reached $31.9 billion in 2020, with TikTok earning $540 million, showcasing the lucrative nature of mobile apps.
• Rise in Mobile Gaming: With 2.4 billion mobile gamers in 2020, mobile gaming remains a dominant segment, especially casual and puzzle games.
• Affordable App Pricing: The average price of a paid Android app is less than $1, making mobile apps accessible to a broad audience.
• Most Popular Mobile Game: “Among Us!” was the most popular mobile game in early 2021, demonstrating the significant impact of viral games.
• Increasing Mobile App Users: Mobile accounts for almost half of global internet traffic, emphasizing the critical role of mobile apps in digital consumption.
• Surge in Social Media App Usage: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat are the top social media apps, reflecting ongoing trends in communication preferences.
• Growth in Mobile Health Apps: The mobile health app market is rapidly expanding, with over 325,000 apps available, driven by the demand for remote health monitoring.

FAQ

1. How many mobile apps were downloaded worldwide in 2020? There were over 218 billion mobile app downloads worldwide in 2020.
2. What percentage of mobile app revenue comes from free apps? 98% of global mobile app revenue comes from free apps, primarily through in-app purchases and advertising.
3. Which app was the most downloaded in 2020? TikTok was the most downloaded app of 2020, with 860 million downloads.
4. What was the total mobile app revenue in 2020? The total mobile app revenue in 2020 was $31.9 billion.
5. How many people played games on their phones in 2020? In 2020, there were over 2.4 billion mobile gamers worldwide.
6. What is the average price of a paid Android app? The average price of a paid Android app is less than $1.
7. What is the most popular mobile game ever? As of early 2021, “Among Us!” is the most popular mobile game by downloads.
8. How many mobile app users are there globally? As of early 2021, there are 5.22 billion unique mobile phone users worldwide.
9. Which social media app had the most users in January 2021? WhatsApp was the most popular social media app in January 2021, with 2 billion users.
10. How many mobile apps were available in the Google Play Store in Q4 2020? There were 3.14 million apps available in the Google Play Store in the fourth quarter of 2020.

References:

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By Astrid Eira

Astrid Eira is a resident B2B expert of FinancesOnline, focusing on the SaaS niche. She specializes in accounting and human resource management software, writing honest and straightforward reviews of some of the most popular systems around. Being a small business owner herself, Astrid uses her expertise to help educate business owners and entrepreneurs on how new technology can help them run their operations. She's an avid fan of the outdoors, where you'll find her when she's not crunching numbers or testing out new software.