ReportSensor Tower
Store Intelligence Data Digest: Q2 2023
15 Jul 202340 pages~34 min full read
Global mobile app downloads reached 34.3 billion in Q2 2023, reflecting a stabilizing market despite a 1.5% year-over-year decline.
See it on page 4India has become the world’s largest mobile market, accounting for 24% of all global Google Play downloads, while traditional markets like the U.S., China, and the U.K. experienced contractions.
See it on page 21Temu emerged as a major disruptor with 74 million downloads, while new gaming titles MONOPOLY GO! and Honkai: Star Rail gained significant momentum in Western markets.
See it on page 8Netflix faces a mature market challenge with a high 79% retention rate but a low 3% new-user acquisition rate, forcing the streaming sector to pivot toward aggressive monetization.
See it on page 34Food delivery downloads have fallen below pre-pandemic levels, signaling market saturation in the sector.
See it on page 30Meta faces regional growth headwinds in Asia, specifically due to regulatory shifts in India impacting Instagram and Facebook adoption.
See it on page 19Education apps like Duolingo are successfully driving user engagement by prioritizing gamification and streak-based retention features.
See it on page 28Global mobile app performance in the second quarter of 2023 reflects a stabilizing market, with total downloads reaching 34.3 billion despite a marginal 1.5% year-over-year decline. While TikTok maintained its long-standing position as the most downloaded app globally, the quarter was defined by the rapid expansion of the shopping platform Temu, which achieved 74 million downloads and secured a top-ten global ranking. In the gaming sector, established titles like Subway Surfers and Ludo King continued to lead worldwide, though new entries such as MONOPOLY GO! and Honkai: Star Rail demonstrated significant momentum by dominating Western markets and leveraging existing brand equity.
Geographic trends highlight a shift in growth centers, as traditional markets like the United States, China, and the United Kingdom experienced download contractions. In contrast, India solidified its status as the world’s largest mobile market, accounting for 24% of global Google Play downloads. Emerging markets also showed resilience, with the App Store seeing double-digit growth in Brazil and Indonesia. While Meta and Google remain the preeminent global publishers, Meta faced regional headwinds in Asia due to regulatory shifts in India that impacted Instagram and Facebook adoption.
Sector-specific analysis reveals a transition toward gamification and retention-focused strategies. Education apps, led by Duolingo, successfully utilized streak features to drive high user engagement, whereas the food delivery and streaming sectors faced saturation. Food delivery downloads fell below pre-pandemic levels, and streaming services pivoted toward aggressive monetization and advertising strategies to combat slowing acquisition. Although Netflix maintains a superior 79% retention rate, its low new-user acquisition rate of 3% underscores the broader challenge of maintaining growth in a mature digital landscape.
