Reportdata.ai
10 Years, 10 Highlights of Google Play
1 Aug 201834 pages~11 min full read
Between 2012 and 2018, the Google Play Store generated over $85 billion in consumer spend across 330 billion downloads, with a forecast to reach $42 billion in annual spend by 2022.
See it on page 2Japan is the highest-earning market with $25.1 billion in lifetime spend, significantly outperforming the United States ($19.3 billion) and South Korea ($11.2 billion).
See it on page 13India leads the platform in total volume with 36.9 billion downloads, highlighting a distinct global divide between high-volume emerging markets and high-monetization mature markets.
See it on page 13In-app subscription policy changes, including a 2017 reduction in developer fees for long-term subscribers, triggered a 55% year-over-year increase in consumer spend between 2016 and 2017.
See it on page 16Gaming remains the primary revenue driver, with Monster Strike and Puzzle & Dragons leading in lifetime spend, while Subway Surfers and Candy Crush Saga hold the highest download counts.
See it on page 20Outside of gaming, non-game revenue is dominated by communication and entertainment apps including LINE, Tinder, and Netflix, while Facebook-owned properties lead in total downloads.
See it on page 21By August 2018, the ecosystem supported 2.8 million apps, with over 5,000 individual titles achieving at least $1 million in lifetime consumer spend.
See it on page 2This analysis examines the ten-year trajectory of the Google Play Store, detailing its growth from January 2012 through August 2018. During this period, the platform facilitated nearly 330 billion downloads and generated over $85 billion in consumer spend. By August 2018, the ecosystem supported over 2.8 million available apps, with more than 5,000 individual titles surpassing $1 million in lifetime consumer spend. The findings exclude pre-installed applications and focus on worldwide performance, excluding China.
Geographic data reveals a significant divide between volume and monetization. India leads the world in total downloads with 36.9 billion, followed closely by the United States and Brazil. However, Japan represents the largest market by consumer spend, contributing $25.1 billion, which significantly outpaces the United States at $19.3 billion and South Korea at $11.2 billion. This revenue growth was heavily influenced by the 2012 introduction of in-app subscriptions and a 2017 policy change that reduced developer transaction fees for long-term subscribers, resulting in a 55% year-over-year increase in spend between 2016 and 2017.
The gaming sector remains a primary driver of engagement and revenue. Subway Surfers and Candy Crush Saga are identified as the most downloaded games of all time, while Monster Strike and Puzzle & Dragons lead in total consumer spend. Outside of gaming, Facebook-owned properties dominate the download charts, while communication and entertainment apps like LINE, Tinder, and Netflix lead in revenue. The analysis concludes with a forecast that Google Play consumer spend will reach $42 billion by 2022, representing a 90% increase from 2017 levels, driven by the continued evolution of video streaming, social platforms, and subscription-based monetization models.
