Mobile app development reaches new peaks in global user engagement

According to a comprehensive report released this month by Adjust and AppLovin, mobile app usage has reached unprecedented levels in 2025, with smartphone users now spending an average of 5 hours daily on mobile devices and engaging with 26 apps monthly.

The global app economy displays robust health, with projections indicating it will surpass $626 billion in market size by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of 14.3% from 2024 to 2030. Mobile advertising maintains its dominant position, with U.S. mobile ad spend expected to reach $228.11 billion in 2025, constituting 66.4% of total digital ad spending.

In a detailed analysis of user behavior across regions, the data reveals significant growth in key metrics. E-commerce applications experienced a 17% year-over-year increase in installations during 2024, accompanied by a 13% rise in active sessions. The Middle East and North Africa region demonstrated particularly strong performance, with installations increasing by 55% and sessions growing by 21% year-over-year.

The gaming sector showed resilience with a 4% growth in global installations compared to 2023. Strategy applications led the category with an 83% increase in installations, while casino and arcade games recorded substantial session increases of 32% and 23% respectively.

Financial technology applications demonstrated remarkable expansion, with installations rising 27% year-over-year in 2024 and sessions increasing by 24%. March and April emerged as peak periods, with installations surging 18% and 36% above yearly averages respectively.

The report highlights evolving privacy trends, noting that App Tracking Transparency opt-in rates continued their upward trajectory, climbing from 32% to 35% globally in early 2025. Gaming applications maintained the highest opt-in rate at 39%, while e-commerce and shopping applications improved significantly, increasing from 28% to 35%.

In terms of technological adoption, artificial intelligence has become integral to mobile marketing operations, with 88% of marketers utilizing AI tools daily and 69% incorporating them into core operations. Attribution and measurement emerged as leading investment priorities for brand and agency marketers in 2025, at 47%, followed by AI technologies at 29%.

The analysis indicates that consumer spending on mobile applications rose by 15.7% year-over-year in 2024, marking sustained recovery from the industry's downturn in 2022. The global smartphone user base continues its expansion toward 6 billion users, alongside approximately 18.22 billion total connected devices.

Regional variations in app performance metrics provided insights into market maturity and growth potential. Latin America maintained the highest average revenue per monthly active user for e-commerce applications at $14, while Asia-Pacific demonstrated strong potential with sustained growth in installation rates.

Looking toward future developments, the report identifies several key areas for industry focus: the expansion of ultra-casual games, particularly in emerging markets like Vietnam; the growth of connected TV advertising, projected to reach $34.3 billion in U.S. spending by 2025; and the increasing adoption of alternative app stores.

The findings underscore the mobile industry's central role in digital transformation, with data suggesting continued growth across major verticals including gaming, e-commerce, and financial services. The report emphasizes the importance of privacy-centric measurement solutions and the strategic implementation of artificial intelligence in driving sustainable growth.

For developers and marketers, the data presents clear imperatives: focus on user retention through enhanced engagement strategies, adapt to evolving privacy standards, and leverage advanced analytics for improved decision-making. The report concludes that 2025 marks a critical period for scaling successful innovations and establishing robust frameworks for future growth.