Consumers spent 3.8 trillion hours in mobile apps in 2021

[Shawn Knight]

In a nutshell: Consumers are spending more time and money than ever on mobile apps. According to App Annie’s latest State of Mobile report, daily time spent in mobile apps reached an average of 4.8 hours per user. That’s an increase of 30 percent over a two-year span and represents a third of daily waking hours across the top 10 markets analyzed. Combined, it equates to some 3.8 trillion hours.

Of course, the 4.8 hour figure is the average. In Brazil and Indonesia, for example, consumers are approaching the 5.5 hour usage mark. South Korea is right at the five-hour mark, with Mexico, India and Japan trailing close behind.

Spending on mobile apps is even more staggering. Last year, consumers collectively shelled out $170 billion in app store purchases. That works out to over $320,000 spent each and every minute of 2021. App Annie also found that 233 apps generated more than $100 million each in spending last year.

For comparison, only 38 movies brought in over $100 million at the box office in 2021.

Sensor Tower in its end-of-year report last month estimated consumer spending across app stores would hit $133 billion in 2021, an increase of 19.7 percent year over year.

New app downloads reached 230 billion, a five percent increase year over year. Viewed another way, it works out to more than 435,000 apps downloaded per minute.

Unsurprisingly, advertisers are taking notice. In 2021, spending on advertising reached $295 billion. If it were a country, it would be ranked #41 among the largest economies in the world.

Image credit: Tim Douglas

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https://www.techspot.com/news/92965-consumers-spent-38-trillion-hours-mobile-apps-2021.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

It's obvious these numbers would spike due to the pandemic quarantines/ school closings...but even if the pandemic hadn't happened, we'd probably still be spending roughly the same amount of time on social media/ game apps.

 

[king cleanass]

 

[ScottSoapbox]

It would be interesting to see this figure in conjunction with non-mobile online time to see how much of the increase is a shift towards mobile vs a shift away from real life.

 

[stewi0001]

As for how much was spent, my theory is that "Gotcha" games are top on the list and that most of spending consumers are single adult males.

 

[yeeeeman]

So this much amount of hours not spent enjoying real life.

 

[p51d007]

It amazes me, when I go walking at the park, so many people out walking around, with their heads buried in their phones. Ducks, geese, squirrels, turtles, birds and I bet NOT ONE of them saw them while they were there...unless it was in a game they were playing.

 

[Uncle Al]

It amazes me, when I go walking at the park, so many people out walking around, with their heads buried in their phones. Ducks, geese, squirrels, turtles, birds and I bet NOT ONE of them saw them while they were there...unless it was in a game they were playing.

Great comment! Reminds me of that scene in "Joe Black" where the girl is looking down at her phone, steps off the curb and is hit by a speeding bus ...... "squash goes the blogger ..."

 

[ZedRM]

Interesting info. I am nowhere near the averages detailed above. I spend maybe 4 hours on my phone per week, not per day. Granted, I don't count phone or texting apps as that is what a phone is for. Nor do I count the music app as I would listen to music with a music player of some sort anyway while exercising/doing chores or other such activities.

 

[p51d007]

Great comment! Reminds me of that scene in "Joe Black" where the girl is looking down at her phone, steps off the curb and is hit by a speeding bus ...... "squash goes the blogger ..."

THIS is one of my favorites. Girls at a baseball game, to absorbed into selfies, than watching the game.