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10 Years, 10 Highlights of Google Play

This 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.

market-analysis monetization

data.aiAug 2018

Report

The Data Behind 10 Years of the iOS App Store – 2018

The iOS App Store underwent a profound transformation between 2010 and 2018, evolving from a nascent marketplace into a mature global economy characterized by massive revenue growth and a shift in monetization strategies. During this period, the platform facilitated over 170 billion downloads and generated $130 billion in consumer spend. While download volume grew at a steady compound annual growth rate of 15%, revenue surged at 52%, signaling a highly lucrative ecosystem where nearly 10,000 individual apps reached at least $1 million in annual consumer spend by 2017. The gaming sector emerged as the primary economic engine of the platform, accounting for 75% of total consumer spend despite representing only 31% of total downloads. This financial dominance was mirrored by a fundamental shift in business models, as the industry moved away from paid downloads—which fell to less than 1% of the market—toward free-to-play mechanics and in-app subscriptions. Clash of Clans and Netflix established themselves as the all-time leaders in consumer spend for games and non-games respectively, while Facebook maintained the highest volume of total downloads. Geographically, the center of the app economy shifted toward the Asia-Pacific region, which now accounts for nearly 60% of global iOS revenue. China, in particular, experienced a meteoric rise, overtaking the United States in 2016 to become the world’s largest market for both downloads and spending. This regional growth was largely propelled by domestic tech giants such as Tencent, Baidu, and NetEase. As the marketplace continues to mature, data-driven insights from providers like App Annie remain essential for businesses navigating this complex, multi-billion dollar landscape.

market-analysis global mobile+1

data.aiJan 2018

Report

The Data Behind 10 Years of Google Play (2018)

This analysis examines the growth and performance of the Google Play Store over a nearly seven-year period, spanning from January 2012 to August 2018. Utilizing data from the App Annie platform, the findings track the evolution of the Android ecosystem from its early stages to a mature marketplace featuring over 2.8 million available apps. During this timeframe, the platform recorded nearly 330 billion total downloads and generated over $85 billion in consumer spend, with more than 5,000 individual apps surpassing the $1 million revenue milestone. Geographic trends reveal a significant divide between volume and value. India leads the world in total downloads at 36.9 billion, followed closely by the United States and Brazil. However, Japan emerges as the most lucrative market, contributing $25.1 billion in consumer spend, significantly outpacing the United States and South Korea. The data highlights a shift in monetization strategies, particularly the 2017 transition toward in-app subscriptions. This change, supported by a reduction in Google’s transaction fees for long-term subscribers, resulted in a 55% growth in spend for non-gaming apps between 2016 and 2017. The competitive landscape is dominated by major social media and gaming entities. Facebook-owned properties occupy the top four spots for all-time downloads, while LINE and Tinder lead in non-gaming consumer spend. In the gaming sector, Subway Surfers is the most downloaded title, but GungHo Online’s Puzzle & Dragons and Mixi’s Monster Strike lead in total revenue. Looking forward, the analysis projects continued aggressive growth, estimating that annual consumer spend on Google Play will reach $42 billion by 2022, a 90% increase from 2017 levels.

market-analysis mobile global+3

data.aiJan 2018

Report

The Data Behind 10 Years of the iOS App Store

This analysis examines the evolution and economic impact of the iOS App Store from its inception through May 2018. Utilizing proprietary market data and forecast models, the findings illustrate the platform's transformation from a nascent marketplace into a dominant global economy. Between July 2010 and December 2017, the App Store surpassed 170 billion downloads and generated over $130 billion in consumer spend. By mid-2018, the store hosted over 2 million available apps, with nearly 10,000 individual titles having generated more than $1$ million in lifetime revenue. The geographic scope of the data highlights a significant shift in market leadership. While the United States remains the all-time leader in cumulative downloads (40.1 billion) and spend ($36 billion), China emerged as a primary growth engine, overtaking the U.S. in annual downloads in 2015 and annual consumer spend in 2016. Other top-tier markets include Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The industry segments are broadly categorized into games and non-gaming apps, with games historically driving the majority of revenue. However, the introduction and refinement of in-app subscriptions in 2011 and 2016 catalyzed massive growth in non-gaming categories, particularly in video streaming, music, and dating. Key conclusions indicate a move away from paid downloads, which fell from 10% of total downloads in 2010 to less than 1% by 2018. The rise of the "freemium" model and subscription services allowed apps like Netflix, Spotify, and Tinder to dominate spend charts. Looking forward, the analysis predicts continued expansion, forecasting that annual consumer spend on the iOS App Store will reach $75.7 billion by 2022. This trajectory underscores the mobile device's role as the central hub for global digital commerce and social interaction.

market-analysis global mobile

data.aiJan 2018