Mobile app publishers - statistics & facts
Mobile app publishers have been providing users with an array of services. The most popular mobile applications have audiences composed of millions of global users, who rely on them to check e-mails, learn languages, and edit pictures. During the first half of 2023, user spending across the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store was approximately 67.5 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of over three billion U.S. dollars compared to the corresponding period of 2022.
In the first half of 2022, the top one percent of app publishers generated over 90 percent of the app revenues across Google Play and the Apple App Store. Large app publishers include recognizable names in the digital and media industry. China and the United States were confirmed as the largest app publishing markets. Renown tech giants such as Tencent and Google shared the ranking with strong newcomers such as ByteDance – publisher of the social video sensation TikTok.
Apps published by Microsoft were among the most downloaded worldwide, with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Word reporting approximately 27 million and 18.5 million downloads, respectively, during the second quarter of 2022.
Despite the dominance of Chinese tech conglomerates in app publisher rankings, some notable non-Chinese companies have managed to establish their presence. Among those, the South Korean-based Netmarble has been on the market since the early 2000s, while the Australian-based Aristocrat Leisure Limited has been listed on the Australian stock exchange since 1996 and has been able to transpose its core casino and gambling business onto mobile gaming apps.
While mobile gaming publishers based in Europe have gone on to experience worldwide prominence with many of their products becoming household names, mobile non-gaming apps developed in Europe have mostly remained under the global public radar. However, DAZN Limited for online streaming, Babbel for language learning, and Lightricks Ltd. with its sensation app Facetune are among the notable exceptions.
In the first half of 2022, the top one percent of app publishers generated over 90 percent of the app revenues across Google Play and the Apple App Store. Large app publishers include recognizable names in the digital and media industry. China and the United States were confirmed as the largest app publishing markets. Renown tech giants such as Tencent and Google shared the ranking with strong newcomers such as ByteDance – publisher of the social video sensation TikTok.
North America has a stronghold on mobile
In 2023, the mobile app market in North and Latin America was dominated by large corporations based in the United States, with many of the highest-grossing mobile app publishers being worldwide recognizable names in the digital market. Despite offering only a limited number of paid services or subscription apps, Google LLC was the leading North and Latin American app publisher as of October 2023, with freemium apps like YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Drive contributing to the over two billion U.S. dollars generated by in-app purchases for the year.Apps published by Microsoft were among the most downloaded worldwide, with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Word reporting approximately 27 million and 18.5 million downloads, respectively, during the second quarter of 2022.
Asia-Pacific publishers achieved global recognition
Despite Chinese tech companies facing tough scrutiny in their home country and abroad, the global public is more than familiar with products such as TikTok, PUBG Mobile, and even mobile streaming services such as iQiYi and Tencent Video. In 2023, Shenzhen-based Tencent reported revenues of approximately five billion U.S. dollars from in-app purchases on Google Play and the Apple App Store alone.Despite the dominance of Chinese tech conglomerates in app publisher rankings, some notable non-Chinese companies have managed to establish their presence. Among those, the South Korean-based Netmarble has been on the market since the early 2000s, while the Australian-based Aristocrat Leisure Limited has been listed on the Australian stock exchange since 1996 and has been able to transpose its core casino and gambling business onto mobile gaming apps.
EMEA is the hypercasual gaming hive
The Irish-based Playrix is behind some of the most engaging gaming apps published in the region, with titles such as Gardenscapes and Homescapes generating billions of U.S. dollars in revenues. In 2023, Israel confirmed itself as a regional power-hub for digital companies, with publishers Playtika and Moon Active claiming the second and third spot of the ranking for 2023. Founded in 2010 and public since 2021, Playtika specializes in social casino games and casual gaming apps – which generated over 2.6 billion U.S. dollars from global players in the last examined year.While mobile gaming publishers based in Europe have gone on to experience worldwide prominence with many of their products becoming household names, mobile non-gaming apps developed in Europe have mostly remained under the global public radar. However, DAZN Limited for online streaming, Babbel for language learning, and Lightricks Ltd. with its sensation app Facetune are among the notable exceptions.
