App Downloads Worldwide Hit 175 Billion Last Year

According to the latest report recently released by App Annie just this week, the number of mobile app downloads across the globe has reached 175 billion in 2017. Also last year, the amount of money spent by mobile users on apps breached the $86 billion mark, driven mainly by growth in emerging mobile markets such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia.

The Chinese mobile market has always been aggressive when it comes to the consumption of mobile apps, and has remained the leader when it comes to the volume of app downloads on a yearly basis. India, however, has surged to the number two spot, basically dislodging the United States to number three. 

Unlike other reports that collect data primarily from Google Play and Apple’s App Store, App Annie’s report takes into account third party Android app stores. This is significant because despite the fact that Google is a global brand, its Google Play app store is not actually that popular among Chinese mobile users. Third party Android stores, however, draw millions of app buyers in China.

As for the Indian mobile market, it has really shown tremendous growth in the last couple of years. Since 2015, the country has seen its volume of app downloads increase a jaw dropping 215 percent. App Annie’s report is quick to point out that India’s numbers got a boost after local carrier Jio launched its subsidized, unlimited 4G service in September of 2016.

Of course, China has had a pretty good two year run, too -- registering a 125 percent growth from 2015 until now. As for the United States, it posted a negative 5 percent growth in that same two year span. Many industry watchers are already saying that the US is on its way to becoming a fully mature mobile market, but still, American consumers’ appetite for apps is still rather voracious. App Annie reports that people in the US have downloaded an average of 3 apps every month, with around seven out of ten users having downloaded at least one app. 

The firm also noted how smartphone users around the world on average have over 80 mobile apps on their handset. Consumers of today also use nearly 40 apps on any given month. On top of that, people are spending close to 3 hours engaged in apps each day, with Americans, Brazilians, and Russians among those who spend seven times as long in apps compared to browsing the Internet through their mobile devices.