It is no secret that pandemic has affected many industries adversely. However, Apple has bucked the trend with impressive growth. The latest report claims that an average iPhone user has spent 38 percent more on apps and in-app purchases in 2020 compared to 2019. Sensor Tower’s report adds that an average iPhone user has spent $138 in 2020 on games and apps in the US.

App Store registered an impressive growth of 38 percent in 2020. In contrast, App Store revenues grew by only 27 percent between 2018-2019. Spending per iPhone user rose from $79 to $100 during the same period. 2020 is a record year for App Store with the highest spending per iPhone user.

According to the report, mobile games’ revenue rose by 43 percent, translating to $76 per-device spending on mobile games. Furthermore, the most significant chunk of mobile games revenue came from the Puzzle category that includes popular games like Gardenscapes. The entertainment segment saw second-highest growth in revenue. Per-device spending reached $10.20, thus translating to 26 percent year-on-year growth.

Consumer spending on apps and games has steadily increased worldwide. Perhaps it is because many of us were stuck with our phones in the lockdown. That apart, consumer spending per iPhone is steadily growing over the past many years. It would be interesting to see whether the same trend continues this year.

Our Take

The pandemic has ended up being a catalyst for apps and games. Covid-19 is said to have catapulted the global video gaming market to $170 billion. Hours spent on smartphones have increased exponentially.

How much do you spend on games and apps? Let us know in the comments below.