GVR Report cover Mobile Application Market Size, Share & Trends Report

Mobile Application Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Store Type, By Application (Gaming, Music & Entertainment, Health & Fitness, Social Networking, Retail & E-Commerce, Travel & Hospitality, Learning & Education), And Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2024 - 2030

  • Report ID: GVR-4-68039-038-0
  • Number of Pages: 95
  • Format: Electronic (PDF)
  • Historical Range: 2017 - 2023
  • Industry: Technology

Mobile Application Market Size & Trends

The global mobile application market size was valued at USD 228.98 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.3% from 2024 to 2030. Applications for gaming, mobile health and fitness, music and entertainment, social networking, retail and e-commerce, and other purposes are all included in the study's scope. The ubiquity of smartphones, rising internet usage, and the use of technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning in mobile applications all point to future growth in demand for mobile applications (apps). Additionally, the aforesaid applications are typically downloaded from application distribution websites like the Google Play Store and the App Store for iOS.

Asia Pacific Mobile Application Market size and growth rate, 2024 - 2030

The primary driver of market growth is the remarkable increase in Internet usage, particularly in developing nations such as Brazil, China, and India. Over the past decade, the Internet has materialized as the prime mode of communication via several gadgets, including tablets, smartphones, and laptops, among others. The number of mobile app buyers has increased in recent years due to growth in the e-commerce industry, various discounts, and offers, and product assortment that is only available on e-platforms. The accessibility of low-cost data plans and packages from telecom operators, which decreases the price of the internet and entices more online users is another parameter accelerating mobile application downloads throughout all platforms.

The increased internet penetration and gaming technology have continued to improve, resulting in more accessibility to mobile games. Games such as Pokémon Go use sensors such as motion sensors, gyroscopes, and accelerometers in tablets and smartphones to ensure the capability of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) on the mobile phone through various apps. Moreover, primarily there are three revenue models, comprising in-game purchases, paid game applications, and in-app advertisements that games and application developers follow.

In the wake of the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the social media-, gaming-, and entertainment-based applications had the highest number of downloads compared to other applications. Furthermore, the demand for e-commerce, healthcare, and educational applications has also witnessed strong growth. In educational apps, the shift to remote learning has provided lucrative growth opportunities to several online portals and tech companies such as Google Classroom, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.

Market Concentration & Characteristics

The mobile application market growth stage is medium, and the pace of the market growth is accelerating. The mobile application industry is fragmented, with many mobile app developers. Mobile application developers are utilizing advanced technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). AI in mobile applications can be used for supporting backend roles, such as facial recognition. Moreover, a mobile application integrated with IoT can provide users with valuable information. For instance, IoT-based mobile applications can provide manufacturing companies with real-time information about machines.

Mobile Application Market Concentration & Characteristics

The market players are investing in mobile application development, which bodes well for the market growth. For instance, in June 2023, Ubisoft Entertainment, a France-based company, announced the launch of Rocksmith+, a music learning app. The mobile application was made available on Google’s Android and Apple Inc.’s iOS platforms. The app gives access to over 6,000 songs and enables users to learn guitar from anywhere at any time.

Mobile application security is an important factor, and mobile applications require informing users about data collection practices, including data usage, collection, and storage. Regulations impacting apps require app developers to create a privacy policy and inform app users about how the app collects, stores, and uses their data. Moreover, the app makers need to inform users about their privacy rights and explain what type of personal information, such as username, password, first & last name, and address, among others, is collected from them.

The threat of substitutes for mobile applications is low as there are no direct substitutes. Moreover, the growing adoption of mobile apps for various applications, such as online shopping, food ordering, and digital payments, is boosting the demand for mobile applications. With the growing internet and smartphone penetration, the need for mobile applications is expected to grow. The ease of use of mobile applications is likely to sustain their demand among users. 

People across the globe use mobile applications for various applications, including entertainment, gaming, and social networking, among others. Mobile apps cater to all user types, and different app categories serve users based on demographic factors such as age and gender. For instance, sports apps are more likely to be used by male users, and gaming apps are more likely to be used by the younger generation.

Store Type Insights

The Apple store segment led the market and accounted for more than 62.0% of the global revenue share in 2023. The segment's high share is primarily due to iOS apps' relatively higher rate of monetization for revenue generated by in-app purchases and premium apps. Also, an increase in iPhone and iPad users worldwide is further contributing to the segment growth. Moreover, mobile game spending accounted for a huge revenue share in 2022.

Moreover, in terms of the number of downloads, the Google Play store segment accounted for the highest share in 2023 and is anticipated to continue its dominance over the forecast period. Also, there has been a massive growth in Android smartphone sales over the past few years, with many new competitors such as OnePlus and Xiaomi Corp. challenging the existing and leading players such as Samsung and iPhone. The emergence of new Android smartphone manufacturers has led to the introduction of a wide range of mobile applications on Google's Play Store.  The introduction of a wide range of mobile applications, coupled with a huge consumer base ensures a strong growth prospect for the Google Play store during the forecast period.

Application Insights

The gaming application segment of the mobile application market held the largest revenue share of more than 34.0% in 2023. Furthermore, the segment is anticipated to continue its dominance during the forecast period due to an unprecedented rise expected in the gaming population and resultantly the number of mobile gaming applications in economies such as China and India. Additionally, the three main Operating System (OS) platforms used to create mobile games are iOS, Android, and Windows. In 2021, Android OS accounted for a significant volume of game downloads, while iOS generated higher revenue due to the paid nature of games.

Global Mobile Application Market share and size, 2023

The music and entertainment application segment is projected to exhibit a significant CAGR of around 14.9% from 2024 to 2030. The segment includes music and entertainment applications such as Netflix, HBO NOW, Tinder, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and Hulu among others. There has been a massive increase in the usage of music and entertainment apps on account of the growing popularity of streaming services. Live streaming apps such as Netflix, YouTube, and Instagram enable users to broadcast live videos to a broader audience as well as engage them on daily basis.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific dominated the market and accounted for over 32.0% of the revenue share in 2023. Mobile apps have seen widespread adoption across the Asia Pacific region. Factors such as increasing smartphone penetration and internet access, along with a growing middle class, have led to a surge in app usage in the region. In particular, countries like China, India, and Southeast Asian nations have seen significant growth in mobile app usage, with a focus on areas such as e-commerce, gaming, and social media. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the adoption of mobile apps as people have turned to digital platforms for work, education, and entertainment.

Mobile Application Market Trends by Region, 2024 - 2030

Mobile application market in China is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15.8% from 2024 to 2030. It is driven by the growing popularity of short-form videos that are offered by mobile applications such as TikTok (Douyin in China). Moreover, the growing popularity of e-commerce in the country is driving the growth of the market in the country.

Japan Mobile application market is witnessing significant growth owing to the growing adoption of mobile applications across categories, including gaming, social media, and FinTech. Moreover, initiatives by the Japanese government to promote competition and prevent app store monopolization are expected to drive the market’s growth in the country.

North America Mobile Application Market Trends

North America has the presence of numerous players in the region, such as Apple Inc.; Google; Hewlett Packard Enterprise; Netflix, Inc.; and Microsoft. Strong in-app consumer spending, high smartphone penetration, and a relatively greater number of mobile application downloads have collectively ensured a high market share. The U.S. is expected to emerge as a lucrative market for mobile games application in terms of in-app payment, paid mobile games, and a rapidly increasing user base of mobile apps in the country.

U.S. Mobile Application Market Trends

The mobile application market in the U.S. is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.0% from 2024 to 2030. The growth of the market in the country can be attributed to the presence of numerous mobile app development companies and the growing reliance of businesses in the U.S. to engage with customers and increase their reach through mobile apps.

Europe Mobile Application Market Trends

The mobile application market in Europe was valued at USD 47.43 billion in 2023. The growing digitalization, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is driving the market’s growth in the region. Businesses in the region are integrating mobile apps into their operations to offer enhanced services to their customers. For instance, European railway and airline companies offer mobile applications to facilitate booking and travel processes.

UK Mobile application market is accounted for over 26.0% share of the European market in 2023. The growing utilization of mobile apps to access various services, such as healthcare, drives the market’s growth in the country. For instance, UK National Health Service (NHS)’s user based crossed over 22 million in December 2021 within three years of its launch in 2018. The app gives users easier access to various digital healthcare services, such as booking appointments.

Mobile application market in Germany is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.4% from 2024 to 2030. The growing use of mobile applications for shopping and, travel & tourism primarily drives the German mobile application market.

France mobile application market is witnessing significant growth owing to the growing time spent by French users on mobile apps in recent years. Utility, social, and gaming apps are some of the mobile app categories witnessing significant growth in usage in the country.

MEA Mobile Application Market Trends

The mobile application market in Middle East and Africa (MEA) is anticipated to reach USD 23.58 billion by 2030. The rapid growth of the Middle East and Africa (MEA) Mobile Application market can be attributed to the rapidly developing technological infrastructure in the region, which is likely to give the MEA population better access to the internet and smartphones, driving the usage of mobile applications.

Saudi Arabia Mobile application market is witnessing significant growth owing to government initiatives to accelerate digital transformation in the country. According to the National Transformation Program’s 2022 report, over 97% of the country’s total government services are digitized. Moreover, the growth of the FinTech sector in the country is likely to drive the use of mobile apps for banking applications.

Key Mobile Application Company Insights

Some of the key mobile application vendors operating in the market include Google, Apple Inc., and Microsoft.

  • Apple Inc. is a U.S.-based company that develops and manufactures personal computers, smartphones, tablets, wearables, and accessories. The company’s App Store enables customers to download digital content and applications. The company offers mobile applications, such as Apple Music and Apple Books. It has a global presence with retail stores worldwide.

  • Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is a U.S.-based technology company. The company operates in two reportable segments, namely Google Services and Google Cloud. The company operates the Google Play platform and provides various apps, such as YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, and Chrome, among others. It has a global presence with over 70 offices across 50 countries.

  • Practo and cult.fit are some of the emerging mobile application companies.

  • Practo is an India-based company that offers an online doctor consultation platform that helps in scheduling doctor appointments. The company’s platform enables online consulting and automated scheduling with doctors across more than 20 specialties. The company’s appointment mobile application is available on Google Play and App Store.

  • cult.fit is an India-based company that offers a fitness-based platform. The company’s mobile application offers services for fitness, healthy food, and mental wellness, enabling customers to manage their health & fitness on a single platform. The users can access gym sessions, group workouts, and sports with the mobile application. 

Key Mobile Application Companies:

The following are the leading companies in the mobile application market. These companies collectively hold the largest market share and dictate industry trends. Financials, strategy maps & products of these mobile application companies are analyzed to map the supply network.

  • Apple Inc.
  • Google
  • Microsoft
  • Amazon.com, Inc.
  • Gameloft
  • Netflix, Inc.
  • Practo
  • cult.fit
  • Ubisoft Entertainment
  • Xiaomi

Recent Developments

  • In September 2023, Google announced new features on YouTube. The new features would enable creators to edit, develop, and share content in new ways. One of the features, called ‘Dream Screen,’ enables creators to add AI-generated video or image backgrounds in YouTube shorts. With these new features, the company aimed to help creators reach more viewers and reduce time-consuming tasks.

  • In December 2022, Apple Inc. announced the launch of Freeform, a new application available for iPad, Mac, and iPhone. Freeform helps users organize content on a flexible canvas and gives them the ability to share and collaborate on one platform. The application offers numerous color options and brush styles to draw diagrams and add comments.

  • In October 2022, cult.fit and boat (Imagine Marketing Limited), an India-based company, partnered to launch the at-home workout program called ‘Fitness Xtended.’ The program comprises strength, yoga, and conditioning exercises, among others, designed by popular fitness coaches. The content was also made available on the cult.fit app.

Mobile Application Market Report Scope

Report Attribute

Details

Market size value in 2024

USD 254.91 billion

Revenue forecast in 2030

USD 567.19 billion

Growth Rate

CAGR of 14.3% from 2024 to 2030

Actual data

2017 - 2023

Forecast period

2024 - 2030

Quantitative units

Revenue in USD Billion and CAGR from 2024 to 2030

Report coverage

Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends

Segments covered

Store Type, Application, and Region

Regional scope

North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, MEA

Country scope

U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, France, Russia, India, China, Japan, Singapore, Brazil, Mexico, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), U.A.E., South Africa

Key companies profiled

Apple Inc., Google, Microsoft, Amazon.com, Inc., Gameloft, Netflix, Inc., Practo, cult.fit, Ubisoft Entertainment, and Xiaomi

Customization scope

Free report customization (equivalent up to 8 analysts working days) with purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional & segment scope.

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Global Mobile Application Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global mobile application market report based on store type, application, and region.

Global Mobile Application Market Report Segmentation

  • Store Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2017 - 2030)

    • Google Store

    • Apple Store

    • Others

  • Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2017 - 2030)

    • Gaming

    • Music & Entertainment

    • Health & Fitness

    • Social Networking

    • Retail & e-Commerce

    • Travel & Hospitality

    • Learning & Education

    • Others

  • Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2017 - 2030)

    • North America

      • U.S.

      • Canada

    • Europe

      • U.K.

      • Germany

      • France

      • Russia

    • Asia Pacific

      • India

      • China

      • Japan

      • Singapore

      • South Korea

    • Latin America

      • Brazil

      • Mexico

    • Middle East & Africa

      • Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

      • U.A.E.

      • South Africa

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