Apps aren’t hitting like they used to.
Americans are exploring fewer new apps and spending less time using the ones already on their phones, according to new data. But that doesn't mean they aren't spending on the ones they like. In-app revenue grew 16% from 2023 to 2024, according to according to a new analysis of mobile trends from Sensor Tower, a market research firm.
Here are a few trends that stood out from Sensor Tower’s report:
Consumer enthusiasm for new apps may be cooling. About 12.3 billion apps were downloaded in the U.S. in 2024, down from 12.6 billion in 2023 and 12.7 billion in 2022. Americans collectively spent slightly less time on apps, logging 323 billion hours in 2024, compared to 325.1 billion hours in 2023.
Apps remain revenue generators. In-app spending was just shy of $52.4 billion in 2024, above the $45.2 billion paid in 2023.
Americans spend the most on games. In-app purchases amounted to $25.5 billion for mobile games, with casino, puzzle and strategy games bringing in the most money. In-app spending was also relatively high for film and television streaming apps ($5.4 billion), social media apps ($3.8 billion) and dating apps ($2.3 billion).
Generations gravitate to different programs. Pinterest (PINS) and Snapchat (SNAP) were among the top 10 apps with the largest 18- to 24-year-old user base as of the fourth-quarter, but they were less popular among other generations.
Meanwhile, Walmart (WMT) had one of the broadest user bases among people who are 55 or older, but didn’t have quite the same foothold in other cohorts. Alphabet's (GOOG) Youtube, however, snagged the most extensive share among all generations studied, from 18-year-olds to those over 55.
AI chatbots and medical trackers are gaining traction. AI-powered chat tools saw the most significant uptick in downloads globally among all the app genres examined. The amount of time and money spent with these chatbots also rose. The medical tracking apps, such as those that monitor menstruation and sleep, also had a strong year, with downloads growing 43%.
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