The following data, via comScore, reveals just how much of an impact mobile device usage has had on the development of mobile applications:
2013-2014 Digital Media Consumption
In June 2013, users spent roughly 1 trillion minutes on digital media. While half of this consumption came from desktop users, only 40% came from mobile app users and 10% from mobile web users. The same data was pulled the following year, June 2014, and revealed something remarkable. Overall user digital media production grew a shocking 24%, most of which could be attributed to a growth in mobile app usage.
Increase in Mobile App Usage
The biggest contributor to the overall growth of digital media usage was most certainly the usage of mobile applications which didn’t even come at the expense of desktop usage. From June 2013 to June 2014, mobile app usage increased by a blistering 52% while mobile web usage only increase 17%, followed by desktop usage growth of a measly 1%. This is just proof that users love their mobile apps and prefer using mobile devices over desktop.
Increase in Total Mobile Activity
Initially, desktop activity dominated the digital media universe, but has been on a steady decline since mobile devices were released. In March of 2013, desktop digital media activity hovered around 53% while total mobile activity, both mobile web and mobile app, was roughly 47%. Mobile activity actually surpassed desktop activity around August of the same year before mobile saw a small dip and desktop received the inverse creating almost a 50-50 split. Since then, mobile user activity has taken off. June 2014 saw total mobile activity around 60% while desktop usage had dropped all the way to 40%.
Mobile Apps Favored Over Mobile Browser
How much of this mobile usage domination of desktop usage is attributed to mobile browser and mobile app users? Not surprisingly, 87.5% of digital media consumed on mobile devices happens within an app. The remaining 12.5% is happens on mobile browsers. It just goes to show that mobile devices users greatly prefer to use apps rather than navigate a website on the mobile browser.
Conclusion
The writing is on the wall. Mobile apps are the future of digital media usage and mobile app development is the groundwork that makes it all possible. If your business is looking for an app developer with a mobile-first approach and a keen eye for success, let’s work together to achieve success in the mobile space!