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In-app spending hit a record $67.5 billion in the first half of 2023

The mobile app industry experienced a positive rebound in the first half of 2023, generating $67.5 billion in revenue through the App Store and Google Play, marking a 5.3% year-on-year increase. Of this revenue, gaming apps accounted for $40.9 billion, representing a significant portion of the total earnings.


In terms of app downloads, there were a total of 76.8 billion downloads globally on both platforms, Apple and Google Play, showing a 3.2% growth compared to the first half of 2022.

Data.ai's latest report indicates that the app industry is returning to positive growth after a slowdown in 2022, and there are promising signs of further growth in the future. While mobile game spending may appear stagnant at first glance, recent trends suggest a positive outlook, with YoY growth returning and showing similarities to early 2020.


Apple's App Store continues to lead in terms of consumer spending, accounting for nearly 65% of the combined app store spend. In the first half of 2023, iOS users spent $43.5 billion, a 6% YoY increase. In contrast, Google Play generated $24 billion during the same period, also showing a 6% increase.


However, gaming app spending presented contrasting data. The App Store recorded $24.6 billion in gaming spending, remaining the same as the previous year. On the other hand, Google Play witnessed a 1.8% YoY decrease in gaming spending.


Regarding app downloads, Google Play surpassed Apple, totaling 58.7 billion downloads, a 1% increase from the previous year. Games accounted for 26.1 billion downloads, a 2.3% YoY increase.

Apple users downloaded 18.1 billion apps in the first half of 2023, a 10% increase compared to the same period in 2022. However, gaming downloads on Apple dropped to 4.3 billion from 4.5 billion in H1 2022. This suggests that while Apple consumers are outspending their Android counterparts, Google Play remains dominant in terms of downloads. It's worth noting that Google Play's absence in China, the world's largest mobile gaming market, could explain the revenue disparity.


Source: Lewis Rees, Staff Writer at PocketGamer

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