Mobile App Use Jumps During the Pandemic

September 22, 2020

AppAnnie Android Phone Use in Q2 Sept2020Some 1.6 trillion hours were spent on mobile devices worldwide in H1 2020. A new report [download page] from App Annie explores how this usage during the COVID-19 pandemic compares to 2019, and how it is affecting mobile-first companies.

Time spent on mobile has increased both in the US and globally, per the report. Looking at an analysis of Android-only phone usage, the average user spent 27% of their daily waking hours on mobile in April 2020, up 20% from 2019. In the US, consumers spent an average of 3 hours per day on these devices in Q2 2020, up 10% from 2019. Indonesia saw the highest number of hours of usage in Q2 2020 (6.0) while Russia saw the greatest change (up 40%).

Global hours spent on mobile reached a peak during the week beginning March 29 this year. This was followed by a steady decline into June this year, though weekly usage hours remain higher than 60 billion, where in June 2019 they were closer to 50 billion.

Not only that, but the increase in time spent on mobile has led to a noticeable change in global monthly downloads since the pandemic. Between February 2020 and April 2020, combined downloads of apps and games across iOS and Google Play increased from 9.1 billion to 12 billion. This included growth in app downloads from 5.4 billion to 7.1 billion.

And, fortunately for apps and games companies, the pandemic has had a clear impact on consumer spending on mobile. By May 2020, combined global monthly consumer spend on apps and games had peaked at $9.4 billion, representing a 25% gain on the monthly average in H2 2019.

This increased spend was also seen in mobile commerce, with mobile shopping sessions during COVID-19 surpassing even holiday shopping levels. In June 2020 in the US, total weekly sessions in shopping apps were up 25% compared to Q1 2020 and up 10% compared to Q4 2019 and its seasonal spending.

Read the full report here.

About the Data: Findings are based on App Annie data.

Chart-Library-Ad-1

Explore More Articles.

Marketing Charts Logo

Stay on the cutting edge of marketing.

Sign up for our free newsletter.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This