Tatiana Odnorozhenko

10.02.2025

1654

7 min.

How the Mobile App Market Changed in 2024: Trends and Outcomes

How did the mobile app market change over the past year, 2024? This is the key question we will seek to answer. Ahead of the release of our annual report analyzing the mobile app and game market, let's summarize 2024: which events and achievements had the greatest impact on the market? We will also examine key trends that will shape its development in 2025. This will help us understand how user preferences have changed, which technologies have come to the forefront, and what strategies will be relevant in the near future.

The Mobile App Market: How 2024 Concluded

Mobile development has never been more relevant. According to Statista, the global mobile app market's total revenue in 2024 reached $535.8 billion and is expected to grow to $585 billion in 2025. The average annual growth rate is 7.84%, with revenues projected to reach $781 billion by 2029. The main segments driving revenue include mobile games, social networks, entertainment apps, and e-commerce solutions, which continue to set the tone for the industry.

Let’s start with the key numbers. Currently, 5.5 billion people worldwide have access to the internet, with the vast majority (96%) using mobile devices for this purpose. The growth in global internet access has reduced the number of "offline" individuals to 2.66 billion, most of whom live in South and East Asia, as well as Africa. Meanwhile, Asia has the largest number of online users globally—over 2.93 billion, according to the latest estimates.

Today, mobile devices account for 61% of global web traffic, highlighting their significance and central role in the digital ecosystem.

The App Store and Google Play in 2024

As in previous years, the mobile market is effectively controlled by two giants—Apple and Google. Android and the Google ecosystem account for about 70% of global smartphone users, making them leaders in the number of active devices. However, Apple leads in revenue, generating approximately 80% of the mobile app market's earnings. This is due to the company’s focus on a more affluent audience willing to spend more on premium apps and in-app purchases.

What’s Popular Among Mobile App Users?

Most downloaded app: TikTok

Top-grossing game: Honor of Kings

Most popular social network: Facebook

Most profitable dating app: Tinder

Best app for health and meditation: Calm

Most popular C2C marketplace: Mercado Libre

Now, let’s dive deeper into social networks, games, shopping, and dating to see what users worldwide are engaging with.

Social network usage continues to show impressive growth. By October 2024, the total number of active social network users reached 5.22 billion people. This represents 63.8% of the global population and indicates that 94.5% of internet users access social networks monthly.

Over the past year, the audience for social platforms grew by 5.2%, demonstrating their significance and continued popularity. This growth is driven by an increase in internet users and the introduction of new features and services that make social networks even more engaging for interaction and content sharing.

An interesting trend is that time spent on social networks is decreasing, but adoption is accelerating.

Chat GPT’s Continued Rise in Popularity

Usage of the Chat GPT mobile app grew significantly in the final months of 2024, making it one of the top ten fastest-growing apps by monthly active users. This reinforces Chat GPT’s strengthening position nearly two years after its public launch.

Additionally, Chat GPT ranked tenth in the download volume rankings, suggesting significant potential for further growth in active users in the near future.

QR Codes as a New Mainstream Trend

Surprisingly, the percentage of internet users interacting with QR codes has grown substantially in recent years: from 44.3% in Q2 2022 to 50.5% in Q2 2024. Over half of adult users reported interacting with QR codes at least once a month over the past year.

The highest QR code usage is seen in Asian and Latin American countries, though Switzerland ranked second in the latest survey, just after China. In contrast, people in many parts of Europe and North America appear less enthusiastic about using cameras for web navigation, with the U.S. and U.K. ranking lowest in the current survey.

Digital Banking Is Almost Fully Mobile

Eighty-nine percent of digital banking consumers use mobile devices for financial transactions. Adoption is even higher among millennials, 97% of whom engage in mobile banking activities.

Mobile Games

We won’t delve deeply into this topic now—stay tuned for our following overview of the mobile gaming market’s 2024 results. However, as this segment plays a crucial role in the app market overall, it’s worth noting an interesting dynamic: while mobile downloads increased in 2024, consumer spending declined.

The Mobile App Market in 2025

The mobile app market continues rapid growth, driven by several fundamental factors:

Smartphone Accessibility
Expansion of Mobile Network Coverage, Including the Transition to Fifth-Generation (5G) Technologies

These conditions are creating high demand, and changing consumer habits are further intensifying interest in mobile apps. Online shopping and mobile banking are becoming the standard for most users, while willingness to pay for digital services and entertainment is growing. Meanwhile, the integration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) makes apps more useful, interactive, and tailored to specific audience needs. All of this makes mobile development a promising avenue for businesses of any size, and 2025 will be no exception.

Artificial Intelligence: The Key to Personalization and Convenience

The global mobile artificial intelligence market was valued at $19.5 billion in 2024, with a projected average annual growth rate of 25.1% between 2025 and 2034. Growth in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies for creating engaging and interactive experiences in education, gaming, and training is also expected to drive the industry’s expansion.

AI plays a central role in improving user experience and app efficiency. Modern technologies enable the creation of smart and adaptive solutions capable of meeting diverse needs. Key applications of AI in mobile apps include:

Personalization
Modern algorithms are no longer limited to audience segmentation. AI creates a fully individualized experience for each user by analyzing their actions in real-time.
Intelligent Chatbots
Generative AI models enable the creation of chatbots that interact with users at an entirely new level.
Search and Navigation
AI enhances search capabilities, including working with images, voice commands, and contextual analysis.
Predictive Analytics
AI algorithms predict user behavior, helping to recommend products and services at the right moment.
Accessibility
AI overcomes language and physical barriers. Automatic translation, voice control, and computer vision technologies make apps user-friendly for people worldwide, including those with disabilities.

The Impact of 5G on App Development

Fifth-generation mobile networks are transforming interactions with the digital world. By 2025, the number of 5G subscribers is expected to reach 6.3 billion, unlocking new opportunities for apps. Key improvements include:

IoT Connectivity
5G allows more devices to connect with minimal latency, which is especially important for businesses working with IoT. IoT app development is becoming one of the most promising areas in mobile development. Today, IoT technologies are being integrated across all areas of life, from smart homes to industrial automation, opening new horizons for businesses and users.
Enhanced User Experience
Low latency and high speeds ensure instant content loading and stable service performance. This is particularly critical for apps related to augmented reality, gaming, streaming, and video conferencing.
Expanded Cloud Technology Capabilities
5G enables apps to leverage cloud resources more effectively for data processing and storage. This creates new possibilities for complex computations in fields such as medicine and virtual reality.

Augmented and Virtual Reality: New Horizons

AR and VR technologies are becoming increasingly accessible on mobile platforms. They offer users immersive experiences applicable to a variety of scenarios:

Retail: Virtual try-ons for clothing or furniture.
Education: Interactive training programs and workshops.
Entertainment: Creation of virtual worlds and games.

Priorities in Security and Privacy

With increasing cyber threats and user demands, data protection has become a top priority. Companies are implementing measures such as:

Data encryption
Multi-factor authentication
Minimization of data collection

These measures not only enhance security but also build audience trust.

Market Trends and Insights

Technology Drives Change
The advancement of 5G, AI, and the popularization of AR/VR are continuing to transform the app market. Success will come to those who adapt to these changes and use new technologies to create unique user solutions.
User Preferences Remain Central
Personalization, gamification, and convenience continue to drive growth. Users value apps that are simple to use, flexible, and adaptable to their needs.
Diversification of Monetization
Models combining subscriptions, in-app purchases, and ads show the highest efficiency. This allows developers to optimize profits and retain users.
Market Segmentation
Demand for specialized apps is growing, whether for NFT games, educational platforms, or health apps. A niche with a narrowly targeted audience but deep functionality can be more profitable than a mass-market solution.

2025 promises exciting trends in mobile development. The mobile app industry is evolving rapidly, and companies must stay abreast of new trends and technologies to remain relevant. The key to creating successful mobile apps lies in understanding user pain points and needs, then tailoring the app to meet those requirements.