Mobile Has Been at the Heart of Major Changes in Consumer Behavior This Decade

Throughout the 2010s we have seen our world transform. We can now rent other people’s homes instead of booking a hotel (Airbnb), have food delivered from any restaurant we choose not just those that offer delivery (Deliveroo), and play console quality games when we’re on-the-go (PUBG MOBILE). Mobile has been at the heart of every one of these changes by giving consumers a window to the internet in the palm of their hand.

Facebook and Facebook Messenger Were the 2 Most Downloaded Apps This Decade

Looking at the most downloaded apps of the decade, Facebook has dominated the mobile space representing the four most downloaded apps of the decade with Facebook, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram. Communication and social media apps are consumer favorites, accounting for 7 of the top 10 apps by downloads this decade. In terms of Consumer spend, video streaming and music apps were well represented with Netflix, Pandora Music and Tencent Video all appearing in the top five. Tinder was the most successful dating app of the decade in terms of consumer spend, coming in second place in the overall ranking behind Netflix.

Subway Surfers Was the Most Downloaded Game of the Decade

It might surprise some to know that Subway Surfers was the most downloaded app game of the decade, driven by its strong adoption in India which accounted for over 15% of its all-time downloads (iOS & Google Play combined). Success came from many different places as each of the most downloaded games came from a different company. Clash of Clans and Candy Crush Saga stand out as the only 2 apps to appear on both the top apps by downloads and consumer spend lists. Monster Strike, Puzzle & Dragons and Fate/Grand Order rounded out the top 5 apps by consumer spend for the decade.

This decade has been a time of remarkable growth for the mobile economy. With a 5% increase in downloads, and 15% growth in consumer spend (excluding third-party Android) year-over-year in 2019 this looks set to continue in 2020. For a deeper look into the most successful apps and games of 2019, check our blog post on the mobile highlights of 2019.

To position your app for success in 2020 check out our App Store Optimization, User Acquisition, and Mobile Marketing Playbooks. To receive the latest insights on the mobile economy, pre-register to be one of the first to receive App Annie’s State of Mobile in 2020 — the industry’s leading mobile insights report — upon release in January 2020: