Mobile app downloads on Google and Apple stores increased 7 percent to a record 218 billion in 2020. Consumer spending on mobile apps rose 20 percent to $143 billion, according to analytics firm App Annie report.
App consumers spent 3.5 trillion minutes using apps on Android devices alone, said analytics firm App Annie’s annual State of Mobile industry report.
The consumer spending was led by markets that included China, the US, Japan, South Korea and the UK, Lexi Sydow of App Annie said.
The increase in time spent is a trend that’s not unique to the U.S., but can be seen across several other countries, including both developing mobile markets like Indonesia, Brazil and India, the report said.
Mobile gaming adoption grew in 2020. Among Us became a breakout game in several markets in 2020, including the US.
Short video app TikTok achieved 325 percent growth, despite a ban in India.
Consumers spent 40 percent more hours streaming on mobile devices, with time spent in streaming apps peaking in the second quarter in the west as the pandemic forced people inside.
YouTube became the No 1 streaming app by time spent among all markets, except China. The time spent on YouTube was up 6 times.
Apps like Zoom and Google Meet grew 275 percent in Q4 2020, as remote work and learning continued, the App Annie report said.
