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Worldwide App Downloads Grew 15% and Revenue Soared 40% in 2016 (venturebeat.com)

Posted by msmash on from the app-economy dept.

Downloads, revenue, and time spent in apps all grew by double digits during 2016, according to a report by market researcher App Annie. From a report on VentureBeat: Time spent in apps grew more than 20 percent to nearly 900 billion hours in 2016, according to the year-end report. That's just one sign that the global app economy saw healthy growth during the past year. In its year-end retrospective, App Annie said U.S. time spent in apps grew more than 25 percent. Worldwide, downloads increased 15 percent by more than 13 billion across both iOS and Google Play. The platform owners paid out nearly $89 billion in revenues to publishers from in-app ads and app store revenue, up 40 percent from the year before. That means apps generated $127 billion in revenues overall, as platform owners take about 30 percent of the revenue.

19 comments

  1. Luddites by Hognoxious · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Yada yada luddites etc.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    1. Re:Luddites by SpankiMonki · · Score: 0

      You missed the last story...I was beginning to think you called in sick.

    2. Re:Luddites by Hognoxious · · Score: 0

      He called in sick. I'm just covering for him.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    3. Re:Luddites by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What's he sick with? Cowpox?

    4. Re:Luddites by SpankiMonki · · Score: 0

      Ah, yes. I should've recognized a stand-in as the troll lacked it's usual "oomph". ;-)

    5. Re:Luddites by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Gay flu...

    6. Re:Luddites by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      It's the iron triangle of slashdot: good post, frosty piss: choose one.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  2. Re:And Still by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    "Supply" and demand.

  3. Re:And Still by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Greed and bullshit.

  4. revenue vs value by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So these squintsville apps for pre-teen punks generated $147-B in revenue and ... and $0.50 in value-to-usr. Unless "feeling cool" is considered a value ... jeeez Y-not goto Togaoland and let a black-Mamba bitecha! You be gettin' cold pad're. Lots cheaper than Angry-Birds or Buff-My-Duff and you get to take pics of starving Negros before the snake comes calling.

    More value accrues to one hand-carved wooden rocking-chair than to all the cell-phones produced this year by glue-licking pre-teen FOXCON slaves. But --- you know that. Didn't know didya that pre-teen girls looking for a FOXCON job gotta get butt-fucked 4 times by FOXCON managers ... chicom pervs all-the-way down

  5. Flawed report by fred6666 · · Score: 1

    I thought App meant Application software. That includes PC software. All those working on a computer (a lot of people these days) easily spend 7-8 hours/day in "apps". It's hard to believe the time spent can raise by 20% over just one year.

    1. Re:Flawed report by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I thought App meant Application software.

      You were wrong. It means whatever the author wants it to mean, and you have to read the article to find out.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  6. Who's buying this stuff. by Ayanami_R · · Score: 1

    As far as mobile, who is buying all this stuff? I have a family full of mac heads, with maybe 10 paid apps out of 30 people total. I myself have spend 0$ on apps myself. I also work with a lot of devices at work and notice the same trend, maybe 1 or 2 paid things. Anecdotal as well, but I work with a large cadre of small business owners as well and I see the same patterns.

    Slashdot help me here.

    --
    "Science is the power of man"
    1. Re:Who's buying this stuff. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lots of people play mobile games -- some people are downloading hundreds of them to try out, because everything is free-with-microtransactions these days; that could easily lead to huge jumps in app downloads. Similarly, the free-with-microtransactions model leads some people to spend lots of money without really thinking about it; you're at the bus stop playing a game, and you run out of actions, and it's just 25 cents to get more! And there's another level available for just 99 cents! And you can unlock a random new character for just $2! Soon, you've spent some serious money; most games end up having a few whales that have spent thousands, which is why companies are scrambling to crank out zillions of new games; they're cheap to make, and if you get a few addicts, they'll pay your salary.

    2. Re:Who's buying this stuff. by The-Ixian · · Score: 2

      I will add my anecdotal evidence to your query.

      I am one of the people who will buy an app even if it is only marginally useful to me.

      There are a few apps that I have paid for but no longer use. I just figure it keeps me ad free and helps support developers.

      That said, as a rule, I don't buy apps that also have in-app purchases.

      I also don't think I have spent more than $100 in total across all app stores (Amazon, Google, Apple and Microsoft). However, I have surely spent more than $100 on donate buttons for projects I use.

      --
      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    3. Re:Who's buying this stuff. by Parker+Lewis · · Score: 2

      Answer: China. It's in the article.

  7. Re:And Still by shmlco · · Score: 1

    The price increase in the UK is due to the exchange rate.

    --
    Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
  8. "... And if this trend continues..." by sheramil · · Score: 1
    "... Eyyyyyy!"

    - Disco Stu

    also, APPS!