Market (Mobile)·Updated Apr 8, 2026 by data.ai
Report · January 1, 2023
Published by data.ai
Global mobile usage reached a record in 2023, with users spending an average of more than five hours per day on apps and total advertising expenditure projected at $362 billion, reflecting an 18.5 % five‑year CAGR. While overall consumer spend dipped slightly in 2022, non‑gaming verticals—utilities, productivity tools, and OTT services—experienced robust growth in downloads (11 %), spend (9 %) and time‑spent (14 %). Gaming, by contrast, saw a 5 % decline in spend despite a surge to nearly 90 billion downloads, with RPGs dominating in‑app purchase revenue and hypercasual titles leading download volume. Creative sandbox games such as Roblox and Minecraft drove a 25 % rise in global playtime, whereas battle‑royale shooters fell by roughly 20 %, indicating a shift toward casual, creative experiences and age‑segmented targeting. Social platforms continued to shape consumer spending patterns. TikTok surpassed all other non‑gaming apps with over $3 billion in 2022, achieving a 17 % year‑over‑year increase in total time spent and leading ARPU at approximately $0.85 per user; its revenue model relies heavily on high‑price in‑app purchases, while Snapchat’s earnings are largely subscription‑based. In the travel sector, airline and transportation apps such as Uber and Moovit dominated downloads across iOS and Google Play, with steady growth in North America and emerging markets like Mexico and Brazil. Sports‑focused apps remained fragmented yet profitable, driven by live‑score trackers and fan engagement platforms that generate high‑frequency usage. Geographically, the top ten markets—China, India, the United States, Brazil, Indonesia and others—contributed the majority of downloads and spend, with pockets such as Mexico, Hong Kong and Brazil exhibiting 15–34 % year‑over‑year growth. The data underscore a continued dominance of mobile advertising, resilience of non‑gaming verticals amid economic headwinds, and the importance of diversified monetization strategies across social and gaming segments.
data ai STATE OF Contents MOBILE Macro Mobile Trends 2023 Gaming STATE OF Finance Retail MOBILE Video Streaming Social Food & Drink 2023 Travel Health & Fitness Sports Other Industries Embracing Mobile • Top App & Games of 2022
data.ai data.ai unlocks insights at every stage of the customer lifecycle Acquisition Engagement Supercharge or unearth winning acquisition Boost user playtime or streaming by evaluating and ASO strategies with top class market and implementing market leading engagement evaluation tools. features and insights. Acquisition Engagement Monetization Retention Monetization Retention Monetization Get the full picture with in-app purchase and advertising revenue metrics that inform your own monetization strategies. tegies. Retention Utilize world class usage metrics to drill into short and long term returning users and learn how to avoid retention crashing pitfalls. how
data.ai EXECUTIVESUMMARY 2022 Mobile Landscape at a Glance New App App Store Daily Time Spent Mobile Total Hours Downloads Spend Per User Ad Spend Spent 255 167 5 336 4.1 Billion Billion Hours Billion Trillion +11% -2% +3% +14% +9% YoY Growth YoY Growth YoY Growth YoY Growth YoY Growth iOS, Google Play, Third-Party iOS, Google Play, Third-Party Android Phones; Weighted Android phones Android in China Android in China Average Among Top 10 Mobile- First Markets > 485,000 apps > 318,000 spent per 1/3 of daily Would be #44 largest 11.2 Billion hours downloaded per minute in 2022 waking hours country ranked among collectively per day minute in 2022 global economies in 2022
Contents Contents STATE OF MOBILE 2023 Macro Mobile Trends Macro Mobile Trends Gaming Gaming Finance Finance Retail Retail STATE OF Video Streaming Social MOBILE 2023 Food & Drink Travel Travel Health & Fitness Health & Fitness Sports Sports Other Industries Embracing Mobile Other Industries Embracing Mobile Top App & Games of 2022 • Top App & Games of 2022
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Seeedie Lifatyle E-Commerce (C2C) Shopping E-Commerce (Retailer) Automotive Other Shopping Resell 24 Utility & Graphic & 12 Subgenres This report Is Powered by Productivity esign Game Service App IQ Karaoke data.ai Intelligence Business Entertainment Live Streaming Media Player Sports Finance 12 Music & Audio Musical Instruments 20 T Other Entertainment Through OTT Radio Short Videos Ticket Service App IQ & Game IQ Video Sharing 9 Subgenres 4X March-Battle data.ai's Taxonomy data ai 6 = Auto Chess 2 1 8 Build-Battle CCG-Battle Shoing Puzte Lane-Battle Strategy Legion Battle With 250,000 Apps Classified 14 Other Strategy Casino Summon-Battle Tower Defense Strategy 316 Subgenres Total 13 Subgenres 3 Racing Match 10 Action RPG Empire Simulation RPG Game IQ Idle RPG Tabletop Location RPG RPG MMORPG 12 13 Open World RPG Party Sports Other RPG Puzzle RPG Kis Roguelike ARPG Survival
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The interim filing presents the fourth‑quarter 2025 financial results for a midcore‑casual gaming group, emphasizing a record‑setting revenue run and the successful execution of a transformation agenda that includes the integration of the Plarium acquisition and the rollout of a new district structure in early 2026. Revenue reached SEK 3,123 million, reflecting 108 % organic growth year‑on‑year and a 25 % increase on a constant‑currency basis, while adjusted EBITDA rose to SEK 717 million, delivering a 23 % margin that matches the full‑year figure. Unlevered free cash flow amounted to SEK 878 million, with a cash‑conversion rate of 66 % and a leverage ratio of five times EBITDA, underscoring robust liquidity and disciplined capital management. User‑acquisition spending accelerated, representing 38 % of quarterly revenue—up from 37 % in the prior quarter—and grew 76 % on a reported basis, driven by heightened investment in original studios, new casual titles, and the racing franchise. The direct‑to‑consumer channel expanded by 600 basis points to 32 % of total revenue, reflecting a strategic shift toward higher‑margin in‑app purchases. Across the fiscal year, the company posted a 9 % organic revenue increase, with word‑games, racing, and RAID franchises delivering the strongest quarter‑end performance. Operating cash flow for the quarter stood at SEK 840 million, while adjusted net income was SEK 1,390 million, translating to an adjusted EPS of SEK 11.33. The financial outcomes exceed guidance and position the firm to meet its medium‑term outlook, with a pre‑IPO study for PlaySimple concluded and the midcore transformation progressing as planned.
The mobile app industry entered 2026 with significant momentum, characterized by a 10% year-over-year increase in global installs and a 7% rise in sessions throughout 2025. Consumer spending reached a record $167 billion, signaling a robust digital economy. This growth coincides with a fundamental technological shift where artificial intelligence has transitioned from an experimental feature to essential infrastructure for predictive segmentation and data analysis. Furthermore, the industry is moving away from a strictly mobile-first approach toward multi-platform strategies designed to capture fragmented consumer journeys across various devices. User privacy sentiment is also stabilizing, with App Tracking Transparency opt-in rates climbing to 38% by early 2026. Sector-specific performance reveals a complex landscape of engagement and acquisition costs. While the global gaming population reached 3 billion in 2025, overall gaming installs remained flat as the cost per install rose 30% to $0.56. However, casual games outperformed the broader market with a 19% increase in installs and a 37% surge in sessions. In contrast, the e-commerce sector faced challenges as global installs fell by 10%, though Latin America emerged as a significant growth outlier with a 30% increase in user engagement. These trends suggest that while user acquisition is becoming more expensive in mature categories, specific genres and emerging markets continue to offer high-velocity growth opportunities. The finance sector demonstrated unique resilience, with sessions increasing by 21% despite a slight decline in installs, reflecting the deep integration of digital wallets into daily consumer habits. Finance apps also led the shift toward paid acquisition, achieving a paid-to-organic ratio of 1.13 as costs per install decreased in most regions. As the industry moves through 2026, success is increasingly defined by retention-led growth and sophisticated cross-channel attribution. Future scalability will depend on the ability of developers to leverage AI-driven personalization and cross-device measurement to maintain engagement in an increasingly competitive and fragmented global market.
The mobile gaming industry is entering a period of strategic recalibration, projected to reach $126.1 billion in revenue by 2025. This growth is underpinned by a transition toward hybrid monetization models and the integration of AI-powered personalization to combat persistent retention challenges. While global install volume grew by 4% in 2024, the market exhibits a distinct geographic divide; North American and European markets face stagnation, whereas Latin America and the Middle East and North Africa regions demonstrate robust expansion. Success in this evolving landscape requires developers to move beyond traditional acquisition, favoring diversified channels such as Connected TV and localized, player-centric engagement strategies. Data from early 2025 indicates that user tracking remains a pivotal operational hurdle, with global App Tracking Transparency opt-in rates hovering at 37.9%. Although arcade games have seen notable improvements in opt-in performance, the United States remains relatively static at 32%, underscoring the necessity for refined messaging strategies to maintain visibility. Concurrently, the industry is grappling with a complex financial environment characterized by rising costs per install and declining average revenue metrics. These headwinds are forcing a shift in marketing tactics, as developers increasingly rely on a broader array of acquisition partners and data-informed creative experimentation to sustain growth. Ultimately, the path to profitability in 2025 lies in prioritizing long-term player value over short-term acquisition metrics. By leveraging AI-driven optimization and fostering community-building initiatives, developers can mitigate the impact of declining revenue per user. The industry is clearly moving toward a more sophisticated, data-reliant ecosystem where the ability to measure performance across fragmented channels—including mobile and Connected TV—is essential for maintaining a competitive advantage in a maturing global market.