The State of Mobile in 2019 - Key Takeaways

There were 194 billion worldwide mobile app downloads in 2018.The average user spent over 3 hours per day on mobile, and we spent over $101 Billion in the App Stores.AppAnnie, a leading app analytics platform, recently released their latest in-depth report: The State of Mobile in 2019.I read the entire report, and extracted the most important mobile app statistics, trends, and takeaways that you need to know going into 2019.All credit for data and statistics included in this article goes to The State of Mobile in 2019 report.

Key Mobile Statistics for 2019

Time spent in apps globally grew 50% from 2016 to 2018

Over 50% of the world’s population — 3.9 billion people — were estimated to be online in 2018, and 96% of the world’s population lives within range of a mobile network.In 2018, there were over 4 billion mobile devices being used with many people in mature markets having multiple devices.Many emerging markets, such as India and the Philippines, are mobile-first. In these markets, consumers use mobile as their primary access point to the internet.Time spent in apps globally grew 50% from 2016 to 2018, and all over the world people are spending more time than ever on mobile.

In mature markets (like the US and Canada), the average user spent 3 hours a day in mobile apps in 2018.In Indonesia, mobile users spent over 4 hours a day in apps — 17% of users’ entire day.The time we spend on mobile is fueled in part by cumulative "micro-moments". These are moments throughout the day where we check emails, browse news articles or check our online banking.In 2019, 10 minutes of every hourspent consuming media across TV and internet will come from individuals streaming video on mobile.

People in the United States have an average of 104 apps installed

Global app downloads exceeded 194B in 2018, up 35% from 2016. Apps continue to be the place where we spend our mobile time.People in the United States now have an average of 104 apps installed, and use around 35 of those apps on a monthly basis.

South Korea, Canada, the US, Thailand, the UK and Australia all saw significant 2 year growth in the average number of apps installed on smartphones with South Korea at 20% growth from 2016 and Canada, the US and Thailand at 15% growth.South Korea, Thailand and Canada also saw strong growth in average apps used at 15%, 10% and 5% respectively from 2016.

App Store consumer spend will grow 5x as fast as the overall global economy

In 2018 the average valuation at IPO was nearly 4x larger for companies with mobile as a core focus vs. companies without any mobile focus.Global App Store consumer spend reached $101B in 2018, up 75% from 2016.

It's predicted that App Store consumer spend will surpass $120B in 2019.In 2019, worldwide app store consumer spend will grow 5x as fast as the overall global economy.

In-app purchases remain popular, in-app subscriptions are growing in popularity as a way to successfully generate revenue.The top 5 most lucrative non-gaming apps of 2018 all contained in-app subscriptions.

Mobile accounted for 62% of global digital ad spend in 2018

Mobile advertising has increased to a 62% share, up from 50% in 2017. This now accounts for the majority of global digital ad spend.In 2019, it's predicted that 60% more apps will monetize through in-app ads.

Key Takeaways from The State of Mobile in 2019

Looking at the raw data is one thing, but learning from it, and making changes to your strategy based on it is another.Here are the key takeaways that you should consider applying to your business after reading this report:

1. In-App Subscriptions are Booming
2. Your Audience Are Spending More and More Time In Apps
3. Apps Can Be The Core Revenue Generator For Your Business
4. Consider Using In-App Advertising
5. Create Content Regularly

1. In-App Subscriptions Are Booming

The top 5 most lucrative non-gaming apps of 2018 all contained in-app subscriptions. Since 2016, the 120% growth in spend in non-gaming apps has been fueled by these subscriptions.More and more companies are using subscription models and relying more on reader revenue to monetize their content, so there's no reason not to consider a paywall model.

Condé Nast are reportedly planning to put all of their publications behind paywalls before the end of 2019.As consumer preferences change and convenience becomes a priority, in-app subscriptions are going to become increasingly used, and preferred by users.

2. Your Audience Are Spending More and More Time In Apps

App Store consumer spend is growing 5x as fast as the overall global economy. There's no better time to establish yourself as a mobile-first brand.With time spent in apps still on the rise (we spent 50% more time in mobile apps in 2018 than we did in 2016), there's still a huge market for you to take advantage of, and establish yourself in.

It's not too late to build a mobile app and take advantage of the growing mobile opportunity in 2019.Read more: why we spend 90% of our mobile time on mobile apps, vs mobile browsers.

3. Apps Can Be The Core Revenue Generator For Your Business

In markets like the US, Canada, and the UK, key indicators of mobile user engagement such as sessions, time spent, and consumer spend, are all showing continual growth rates.Entertainment apps are seeing huge growth, and since 2016, in-app spend for entertainment (video streaming, music streaming, or other paid content) has grown by 460%.

With consumers being more comfortable spending money on mobile, you should consider and question how much you could benefit from focusing on mobile even more in 2019.Finally, as the AppAnnie report showed us, companies with a mobile focus were on average worth up to 4x more than companies who didn't view mobile as a core focus.You need to be approaching everything you do with a mobile-first approach. It's no longer a sub-optimal experience for your users and customers.

4. Consider Using In-App Advertising

The growth in popularity of ad blockers on desktop means that 1/3 of the US population isn't seeing your ads, and your revenue is being directly affected.AppAnnie predicts that 60% more apps will monetize through in-app advertisements in 2019, and there are more and more advertising platforms available to app publishers.

An increase in advertising platforms means targeting will become more niche. This will ensure advertisements shown in your app are highly relevant to your audience.Despite the growing popularity of in-app subscriptions, in-app advertising should remain an important way to generate revenue from your app.

5. Create Content Regularly

AppAnnie's report highlights that time in apps isn't spent in a continuous session, but consists of "micro-moments" throughout the day.

According to The State of Mobile Report, micro-moments happen across many industries. Examples of micro-moments include checking emails, browsing news articles, or checking online banking.If your app contains regularly updated content that your audience enjoy, it's highly likely that they'll regularly check your app to for relevant updates in these micro-moments.

Wrapping Up

2018 was a big year for mobile. 2019 is going to be even bigger.We see the evidence of this all around us, and it's been confirmed again by more important research on the digital publishing industry.Looking at these mobile marketing statistics and trends, it's clear that you should be positioning your brand to take advantage of the opportunity ahead.It's definitely not too late to take a mobile-first approach and create a mobile app for your business.At the heart of all of this, the key is that you need to provide your content where your audience wants to access it. In 2019, that's on mobile.