Worldwide consumer spending on Apple's App Store and Google Play reached $65 billion in the first half of 2022, up 1% year-over-year from $64.4 billion in H1 2021. Growth slowed due to normalization after pandemic highs and global economic downturn. Apple's App Store saw $43.7 billion (up 5.6%), while Google Play fell 7.4% to $21.3 billion.
Mobile game spending declined 6.6% to $41.2 billion, with Honor of Kings and PUBG Mobile top grossing. TikTok remained the highest-grossing non-game app with $1.7 billion. App downloads dropped 1.5% to 71.2 billion installations, with TikTok leading at 373 million installs.
Google Play saw a 1.3% decline in installs, while Apple's App Store fell 2.5%.
Gaming marketers face fierce competition, privacy changes, and high user expectations. Key metrics include CPI, LTV, ROAS, and retention. Creative formats like rewarded videos and playable ads drive engagement. SKAdNetwork requires strategic conversion value mapping. Granular measurement underpins success.
By 2026, global consumer spending on apps will reach $233 billion, up 77% from 2021, driven by a 12% CAGR. App Store growth outpaces Google Play, with the US leading at $86 billion. First-time downloads hit 181 billion at 4.7% CAGR, though US growth slows. Non-game apps gain share, especially Entertainment on iOS. Asia leads in downloads, India reaching 40.2 billion. Opportunities in Business and Medical apps persist post-pandemic.
Subscription app revenue surged in 2021, with App Store up 33% and Google Play up 78%. Key challenges include user loyalty, conversion, and privacy. Deep measurement via in-app events, deep linking, and predictive analytics is crucial for UA and re-engagement.
India's mobile app market hit record revenue of $345M in Q2 2026, with non-gaming up 50% YoY. For ad ops, key opportunities lie in short drama apps (Story TV tripled ad spend), AI subscriptions, and ad-supported games like arrow puzzles, which generate over 11% of global ad revenue from India. Gaming revenue grew 10% YoY, outperforming global decline. Hypercasual game ad revenue rose 180% QoQ. India is transitioning from an acquisition market to a monetization powerhouse, offering scalable ad inventory across entertainment, local commerce, and casual gaming.
App conversions measure user actions like purchases or sign-ups. Key types include app store, install-to-event, and install-to-purchase conversions. Optimize via ASO, UX, A/B testing, and seamless checkout to boost rates.
TikTok offers limited-time ad credits up to $1500 plus expert support. The article shares best practices for small businesses, including creative tips, audience targeting, and campaign optimization to boost ad performance.
TikTok For Business offers limited-time ad credits: spend $100, $500, or $1500 to earn matching credits plus expert support. The page also lists latest announcements on innovative advertising, measurement tools, and new features for brands.
Mobile advertising uses paid channels on smartphones and tablets, offering hyper-targeting and cost-effectiveness but facing challenges like privacy changes and fraud. Key metrics include CPI, ROAS, and LTV. Effective strategies involve clear goals, audience definition, and mastering ATT prompts.
August mobile gaming saw stable revenue at $6.57B and downloads at 3.76B. Honor of Kings led revenue through major event...
Japan's mobile gaming market remains a revenue powerhouse, generating over $10B in IAPs in the past year despite a sligh...
The Hair Care retail media landscape is highly fragmented: no brand holds more than 12% of category impressions, and 248...
US retail media impressions fell 17% in H1 '26, yet specialized home improvement networks grew sharply (Lowe's +151%, Ho...
Sensor Tower's new Web Insights reports—Web Overlap, Path Journey, Conversion Rate, and Search Keywords—give ad ops deci...
Snack Foods dominated retail media's food category in 1H 2026, accounting for a third of impressions. Leading advertiser...