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Store Intelligence Data Digest: Q1 2020
The first quarter of 2020 marked a transformative period for the global mobile ecosystem, as the COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed an unprecedented surge in digital activity. Worldwide app downloads reached a record 33.6 billion, representing a 20.3% year-over-year increase. This growth was most pronounced in the mobile gaming sector, which surpassed 13 billion quarterly installs for the first time. While hyper-casual titles and established battle royale games maintained high volume, the quarter was specifically defined by a shift toward social and sandbox titles like Roblox and Minecraft, which facilitated remote connection during lockdowns. The impact of the pandemic was visible across diverse geographic markets and app categories. Major regions including China, Italy, and the United States saw download volumes spike by 40% within two weeks of their respective outbreaks. China experienced the most dramatic immediate shift, with an 89% increase in game downloads following its initial surge in cases. While gaming drove volume, non-gaming categories underwent the most radical structural changes; Business and Education app downloads more than doubled, whereas Travel and Navigation installs plummeted by over 50% as global mobility stalled. Market leadership shifted as emerging platforms capitalized on the stay-at-home economy. TikTok set a historical record with 315 million quarterly installs, and ByteDance significantly narrowed the gap with industry leaders Facebook and Google. Remote work tools such as Zoom, DingTalk, and Microsoft Teams saw exponential growth, with Zoom entering the U.S. App Store top 20 for the first time. Although global revenue growth was more modest than download growth, markets like France and Italy saw double-digit revenue increases, signaling a fundamental shift in consumer spending habits toward mobile-first entertainment and productivity.
Sensor TowerJan 2020
Report
Store Intelligence Data Digest: Q2 2020
The global mobile app ecosystem experienced unprecedented growth in the second quarter of 2020, driven primarily by the societal shifts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Worldwide app downloads reached a record 37.8 billion, representing a 31.7 percent year-over-year increase. This surge was characterized by a massive transition toward remote work, digital education, and home entertainment. Zoom emerged as a dominant force, becoming only the third app in history to surpass 300 million quarterly installs, while the business category as a whole saw installations peak at 176 percent above pre-pandemic levels. The mobile gaming sector served as a primary beneficiary of stay-at-home orders, with Google Play game downloads increasing by over 50 percent to 12.4 billion. Hypercasual titles like Save The Girl led the market in volume, while established titles such as Roblox and Brawl Stars reached new performance milestones in the United States and China, respectively. Revenue trends shifted toward social and simulation genres, with Sandbox and Battle Royale titles flourishing as digital social hubs. Notably, the Casino genre became the top-grossing category in the United States, generating $1 billion in revenue during the quarter. While productivity and entertainment apps thrived, the travel, navigation, and rideshare sectors faced significant declines due to global lockdowns. However, the end of the quarter showed early signs of recovery in these areas, particularly in domestic travel within Scandinavia and a resurgence in sports app engagement as international leagues resumed play. This period also marked a milestone for mobile publishers, as Google became the first to exceed one billion quarterly downloads, illustrating the massive scale of the mobile economy during the height of the global health crisis.
Sensor TowerJan 2020
Report
Store Intelligence Data Digest: Q3 2020
Global mobile app performance in the third quarter of 2020 reflected a landscape profoundly shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, with total downloads reaching 36.4 billion. This 22.8% year-over-year increase was primarily fueled by Google Play, which saw a 30.3% surge in installs. While TikTok maintained its position as the top non-gaming application globally, the gaming sector experienced a historic breakout with Among Us, which became the first title since 2018 to surpass 100 million global downloads in a single quarter. This title alone generated 24 million downloads in the United States, tripling the performance of its closest competitors and signaling a shift toward social-driven gaming experiences. Market dynamics diverged significantly by platform and region during this period. While Google Play game downloads grew by 36.4% worldwide, the App Store saw a 4.7% decline, largely attributed to a 25% drop in game installs within the Chinese market. Despite these fluctuations, consumer spending in the United States remained at record levels, totaling $5.8 billion for the quarter. The Simulation and Casino genres emerged as primary growth drivers, increasing by 59% and 51% respectively. On the publishing side, Google remained the global leader with 850 million downloads, though hyper-casual specialist Voodoo achieved a milestone by becoming the top publisher on Google Play in Europe for the first time. The pandemic also fundamentally altered seasonal trends for utility and lifestyle applications. Education apps sustained a 21% year-over-year increase in downloads as remote learning tools like Google Classroom became essential infrastructure. Simultaneously, the sports category underwent a volatile recovery; after a stagnant spring, the return of professional leagues drove a 13% year-over-year increase in European downloads. This resurgence was particularly visible in the United States, where the rescheduling of major events led the NBA app to achieve five times its typical quarterly download volume, illustrating a broader trend of digital platforms capturing pent-up demand for live entertainment.
Sensor TowerSept 2020
Report
Store Intelligence Data Digest: Q4 2021
Global mobile application activity reached a significant milestone in 2021, with total annual downloads climbing to 144.2 billion. The fourth quarter alone accounted for 36.1 billion of these installs, representing a 2.7 percent year-over-year increase. While the mobile gaming sector remained a primary driver of volume, led by the global success of Garena Free Fire and the emergence of battle royale titles like PUBG: New State, other categories such as Finance and Utilities demonstrated faster growth rates. The market landscape saw China reclaim its position as the leading market for App Store installs, while India maintained its dominance on Google Play. Market dynamics throughout the year reflected a complex transition toward post-pandemic normalization. Although most app categories returned to pre-pandemic baselines, Business and Medical applications remained elevated, with Business installs more than doubling 2019 levels. Simultaneously, the travel sector experienced a robust recovery, with U.S. vacation rental and online travel agency apps exceeding pre-pandemic download figures by the end of the year. Meta and Google solidified their positions as the world’s top publishers, each exceeding 600 million quarterly downloads, while European developers, particularly Say Games, gained significant traction on the Google Play platform. Technological innovation continued to influence consumer behavior, evidenced by the rise of NFT-focused mobile applications and the integration of blockchain features into established cryptocurrency platforms. Regional recovery patterns varied, as North America stabilized more rapidly than Asian markets, where pandemic-era usage shifts persisted longer. Ultimately, the year was defined by a shift in market leadership, with TikTok retaining its status as the most downloaded app globally and Garena Free Fire securing its place as the top-downloaded game, underscoring the continued resilience and evolution of the mobile ecosystem.
Sensor TowerJan 2021