Nearly 5 billion people—roughly sixty percent of humanity—now wield a pocket-sized portal as their primary connection to the world, but who they are and how they use it reveals a story far more fascinating than that staggering number alone.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, 4.88 billion people worldwide used mobile apps, representing 60.5% of the global population
- US mobile app users averaged 4.8 hours daily on apps in 2023, with Gen Z (18-24) at 5.2 hours
- Women accounted for 52% of global mobile app users in 2023, slightly higher in social apps at 55%
- Globally, users spent an average of 4 hours 41 minutes daily on mobile apps in 2023
- In the US, daily app time reached 4 hours 43 minutes in Q4 2023, up 1% YoY
- Social apps captured 2 hours 15 minutes of daily US user time in 2023
- Worldwide, 255 billion apps were downloaded in 2023, up 11% from 2022
- Google Play saw 108 billion downloads in 2023, vs Apple's 33 billion
- India led with 29 billion app downloads in 2023, 11% of global total
- Social media apps dominated with 35% market share of downloads in 2023 globally
- Gaming apps held 19% of active users but 25% of time spent in 2023 worldwide
- In US, YouTube led with 250 million monthly active users in apps 2023
- Global in-app purchase revenue reached $167 billion in 2023, up 13% YoY
- Gaming generated $110 billion IAP revenue in 2023, 66% of total
- Apple App Store revenue $85 billion in 2023, Google Play $48 billion
In 2023, global mobile app usage reached nearly five billion people and growing.
App Downloads
- Worldwide, 255 billion apps were downloaded in 2023, up 11% from 2022
- Google Play saw 108 billion downloads in 2023, vs Apple's 33 billion
- India led with 29 billion app downloads in 2023, 11% of global total
- Gaming apps accounted for 25% of all downloads at 64 billion in 2023
- US downloads totaled 24 billion in 2023, led by TikTok at 500 million+
- China had 42 billion downloads in 2023, dominated by local apps
- Social networking apps saw 18 billion downloads globally in 2023
- Brazil ranked 4th with 7.5 billion downloads in 2023
- New apps launched: 1.8 million on iOS and 2.5 million on Android in 2023
- Productivity apps downloads grew 15% to 12 billion in 2023
- Europe combined for 35 billion downloads in 2023, Germany top at 4.2B
- Photo/video apps hit 22 billion downloads worldwide 2023
- Indonesia downloads reached 9 billion in 2023, gaming heavy
- Finance apps downloads surged 28% to 4.5 billion in 2023
- Russia saw 5.1 billion downloads despite sanctions in 2023
- Health & fitness downloads totaled 8 billion globally 2023
- Mexico had 4.8 billion app downloads in 2023
- Travel apps rebounded with 6.2 billion downloads post-COVID 2023
- Japan downloads at 3.9 billion in 2023, high iOS share at 60%
- Music apps downloaded 5.7 billion times globally 2023
- South Korea downloads totaled 3.2 billion in 2023
- Education apps hit 7.1 billion downloads amid AI boom 2023
- Australia downloads 2.1 billion in 2023
- E-commerce apps 15 billion downloads globally 2023
- Turkey downloads grew 20% to 4.3 billion in 2023
- Dating apps 1.2 billion downloads worldwide 2023
- Vietnam 6.5 billion downloads, top SEA market 2023
- News apps 3.8 billion downloads in 2023
App Downloads Interpretation
While the world clamors for a staggering 255 billion digital fixes annually, India leads the charge with an insatiable appetite, Google Play remains the download bazaar, and TikTok proves America's favorite distraction, the underlying story is one of a planet increasingly conducting its business, love, health, and leisure through the ever-expanding universe of our pocket-sized screens.
Demographics
- In 2023, 4.88 billion people worldwide used mobile apps, representing 60.5% of the global population
- US mobile app users averaged 4.8 hours daily on apps in 2023, with Gen Z (18-24) at 5.2 hours
- Women accounted for 52% of global mobile app users in 2023, slightly higher in social apps at 55%
- In India, 75% of app users were under 35 years old in 2023, driving high engagement in gaming apps
- Urban dwellers made up 68% of mobile app users globally in 2023, with rural penetration rising to 45%
- Android users comprised 72% of global app users in 2023, dominant in emerging markets at 85%
- In the US, 91% of adults owned smartphones and used apps daily in 2023
- Millennials (25-34) represented 28% of app users worldwide in 2023, highest spending group
- Low-income users (under $30k/year) spent 20% more time on apps than high-income in 2023 US data
- In China, 98% of smartphone owners used apps in 2023, with 1.2 billion active users
- Hispanic Americans showed 15% higher app usage rates than average in 2023, at 5.1 hours daily
- Students aged 13-17 used apps for 6.2 hours daily in 2023 globally
- Seniors (65+) adoption rose to 62% app usage in US 2023, up from 55% in 2022
- In Brazil, 82% of users were 18-34 in 2023, fueling social media app dominance
- Female gamers outnumbered males 51% to 49% in mobile apps globally 2023
- In Europe, 55% of app users were urban professionals aged 25-44 in 2023
- African mobile app users skewed young, 65% under 25 in 2023
- In Japan, 40% of app users were over 50 in 2023, highest among developed nations
- LGBTQ+ users reported 25% higher app engagement in social categories in 2023 US survey
- Remote workers used apps 18% more than office workers in 2023 globally
- In Australia, Indigenous users had 10% lower app adoption at 72% in 2023
- Parents with children under 5 used educational apps 3x more in 2023
- In South Korea, 95% of teens used apps over 4 hours daily in 2023
- Disabled users relied on accessibility apps, 35% usage rate increase in 2023
- In the Middle East, male users dominated at 62% of app audience in 2023
- Freelancers averaged 5.5 app switches per day in 2023, higher than employed at 4.2
- In Canada, bilingual users (French-English) showed 12% higher app diversity in 2023
- Gamers aged 35+ grew to 22% of mobile app gamers in 2023
- In Mexico, rural users reached 55% app penetration in 2023, up 20% YoY
- US college students used 15+ apps daily on average in 2023
Demographics Interpretation
Despite our different lives, the smartphone has become humanity's dominant nervous system, which is fine as long as we remember to look up and actually talk to each other now and then.
Popular Categories
- Social media apps dominated with 35% market share of downloads in 2023 globally
- Gaming apps held 19% of active users but 25% of time spent in 2023 worldwide
- In US, YouTube led with 250 million monthly active users in apps 2023
- TikTok topped global downloads in entertainment category with 2.2 billion in 2023
- WhatsApp had 2 billion MAU globally in messaging category 2023
- Instagram Stories reached 500 million daily users in photo/video apps 2023
- Google Maps dominated navigation with 1.5 billion downloads lifetime by 2023
- Spotify led music streaming with 600 million MAU in 2023
- In China, WeChat integrated super-app usage hit 1.3 billion MAU 2023
- Facebook Messenger 1 billion MAU in communication category 2023
- Netflix topped entertainment subscriptions at 260 million paid users 2023
- Snapchat 414 million DAU in social apps US 2023
- Amazon Shopping app 200 million MAU in e-commerce 2023 US
- Candy Crush Saga 250 million MAU in casual gaming 2023
- In India, ShareChat 180 million MAU in regional social 2023
- Duolingo 500 million downloads in education category lifetime 2023
- Uber 150 million MAU globally in ride-sharing 2023
- Pinterest 450 million MAU in lifestyle/discovery apps 2023
- Roblox 70 million DAU in gaming 2023
- Shazam 120 million MAU in music recognition 2023
- In Brazil, iFood 50 million MAU in food delivery 2023
- Calm meditation app 100 million downloads in health 2023
- Telegram 800 million MAU in secure messaging 2023
- Among Us peaked at 500 million downloads in multiplayer gaming 2023 cumulative
- Strava 100 million users in fitness tracking 2023
- In Europe, Deezer 20 million subscribers in music 2023
- Clubhouse revived with 10 million MAU audio social 2023
- MyFitnessPal 200 million users in nutrition tracking 2023
- PUBG Mobile 1 billion downloads cumulative by 2023
Popular Categories Interpretation
The human race seems to have collectively decided that our primary purposes are to share cat videos, avoid actual conversation, get lost in games, and find our way back again, all while trying to learn a language we'll never finish and order food we probably don't need.
Revenue and Monetization
- Global in-app purchase revenue reached $167 billion in 2023, up 13% YoY
- Gaming generated $110 billion IAP revenue in 2023, 66% of total
- Apple App Store revenue $85 billion in 2023, Google Play $48 billion
- Subscriptions made up 12% of app revenue at $20 billion globally 2023
- US app economy valued at $288 billion including IAP and ads 2023
- TikTok ads revenue hit $18 billion worldwide in 2023
- China IAP market $92 billion in 2023, led by Tencent games
- Dating apps generated $4.2 billion revenue in 2023 globally
- Streaming apps revenue $50 billion subs + ads 2023
- India app revenue grew 25% to $3.5 billion in 2023
- Ad revenue from apps totaled $362 billion globally 2023
- Roblox IAP $3.5 billion in 2023
- E-commerce in-app sales $1.2 trillion globally 2023
- Candy Crush lifetime revenue $20 billion by 2023
- Netflix app subs revenue $33 billion 2023
- Spotify premium $13 billion revenue 2023
- Brazil app revenue $6.8 billion in 2023
- Fitness apps IAP $2.1 billion 2023
- Fortnite mobile $5.1 billion cumulative revenue by 2023
- Duolingo revenue $531 million in 2023
- In-app ads CPM averaged $10.50 in gaming 2023
- Tinder revenue $1.9 billion from subs 2023
- Calm app revenue $150 million 2023
- PUBG Mobile revenue $9 billion cumulative 2023
- Headspace subs revenue $100 million 2023
- Coin Master $1.8 billion revenue 2023
- MyFitnessPal acquired for $345 million reflecting revenue value 2023
- Honor of Kings $2.8 billion revenue China 2023
- Genshin Impact global $4 billion revenue by end 2023
- Bumble revenue $903 million 2023
- Among Us revenue $50 million post-peak 2023
Revenue and Monetization Interpretation
While our digital pockets are feeling the squeeze from $167 billion in in-app purchases, gaming continues to be the arcade we can't leave, accounting for two-thirds of that haul and proving that whether it's a Candy Crush saga or a Fortnite battle, our collective thumb exercise is a very expensive hobby.
Time Spent
- Globally, users spent an average of 4 hours 41 minutes daily on mobile apps in 2023
- In the US, daily app time reached 4 hours 43 minutes in Q4 2023, up 1% YoY
- Social apps captured 2 hours 15 minutes of daily US user time in 2023
- Android users spent 5% more time on apps than iOS users globally in 2023, at 4.5 vs 4.3 hours
- During evenings (6-10 PM), app usage peaked at 35% of daily total in 2023 worldwide
- Gaming apps averaged 1 hour 12 minutes daily per user in 2023 globally
- In China, average daily app time was 6 hours 30 minutes in 2023, led by short-video apps
- Weekend app usage increased 22% over weekdays in US 2023 data
- Users opened apps 144 times per day on average in 2023, up from 132 in 2022
- In India, daily app time hit 4 hours 50 minutes in 2023, with regional apps dominant
- Morning hours (7-9 AM) saw 18% of daily app sessions for news/weather apps in 2023
- iPhone users spent 12% more time in premium apps vs Android in 2023
- Global app time grew 3% YoY to 16 trillion hours in 2023
- In Brazil, users averaged 5 hours 10 minutes daily on apps in 2023
- Short-form video apps took 45 minutes daily per user in US 2023
- Night owls (10 PM-2 AM) contributed 12% of total daily app time globally 2023
- Shopping apps peaked at 25 minutes daily during holidays in 2023 US
- In Europe, average daily app time was 3 hours 55 minutes in 2023
- Fitness apps saw 40 minute daily spikes during January 2023 resolutions
- Global users spent 28% of phone time in apps vs 12% web in 2023
- Teens (13-17) clocked 7 hours 22 minutes daily on apps in US 2023
- In-app time during commutes averaged 45 minutes per session in urban 2023
- Music streaming apps held 55 minutes daily in 2023 globally
- Post-dinner (8-11 PM) saw 30% usage surge for entertainment apps 2023
- In Japan, salarymen spent 4 hours 20 minutes on apps daily in 2023
- Daily active users spent 65 minutes in social apps average 2023
- Remote learning boosted edtech app time by 15% to 35 min/day in 2023
- Global app sessions hit 5.2 trillion per day in Q4 2023
- In South Korea, daily app time reached 5 hours 45 minutes in 2023
- Lunch breaks (12-2 PM) captured 22% of workday app time in 2023
Time Spent Interpretation
Humans may boast about our productivity, but the 2023 global average of 4 hours and 41 minutes spent daily on mobile apps, which crescendos to a 35% usage peak during evening hours and a 22% weekend surge, suggests our true national pastime is simply staring at our phones, with social and short-form video apps acting as the prime digital glue holding our collective attention hostage.
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