I decided to keep some of the original content from 2022 in order to make a comparison of the changes that have taken place in the last few years. That being said, the beginning of this article identifies more with 2022 with relative info dedicated to 2025 and beyond later in this write-up. If you want to skip 2022 go directly to 2025 HERE.As a freelancer, remote worker, and/or entrepreneur, you're probably using your mobile phone just as much, or even more, than your laptop. In fact, the mobile app industry is advancing at full speed with no de-escalation in sight!
Even if we wanted to, there's little room to wiggle out of fraternizing with mobile app trends today. Just the same, I don't find it necessary to download, install, and test every app, including early access apps, that comes out on the market related to my line of work.
Of course if it's essential for you to have access to just released beta-apps, early access apps might be the way to go. However, keep in mind, that beta apps are usually less secure than other apps. They are prone to crashing and may more-often-than-not prove incompatible with other features on your smartphone.
But then again, where would we be without those brave souls willing to place their much loved tech gadgets at the mercy of application software developers? Did you know that apps with millions, perhaps billions, of users are still available as betas like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Snapchat?
In order to interact professionally with the world around us, apps are crucial, even mandatory in most cases. So let's check-out what's current with mobile apps in 2022. (This article was originally published in 2022; therefore, I'm keeping the information from that time for comparison purposes. Further down the article are the trends for 2026.
Mobile App Trends 2022
How do mobile app trends stack-up in 2022? One of the most in-depth articles on the topic titled Mobile App Trends And Statistics To Know In 2022 can be found on the site cellphonedeal.com
Here are a few highlights from the article. (Click on the article title for the full content)
General Usage
Before focusing on specific categories or facets of apps or the app store, let us first consider just how common apps are, how often people use them, and how people interact with smartphones in general. We want you to keep these in mind for all of the stats to follow:
-Every day, there are at least 250 million or more app downloads, based on the most recent data we could find. This is only expected to rise as more people get smartphones and get comfortable with using an app store regularly.
-Overall, there were about 142.9 billion app downloads across all platforms in 2020. That is a bit more than 28 app downloads for every person on this earth, and not everyone has a cell phone, much less a smartphone that can download so many apps. There are clearly some of us trying out more apps than others.
-Out of all the time spent on smartphones, about 90 percent of that time is spent in apps (note that this is opposed to a browser, which some might consider an app). This is surprising, but given how apps are well-designed for smartphones and practically all information can be obtained there, perhaps it is not so far-fetched an idea. It also depends on whether mobile browsers might be considered apps or not.
-More specifically, people are expected to spend an average of just a little more than four hours a day on their phones in 2022. As it stands, people spent about three hours and 35 minutes on apps each day, and four hours and one minute on their phones. This amount is expected still to increase, though with so many hours in the day we can only wonder what people are not doing instead.
-While apps are extremely popular and commonly used, people do often feel resistance to downloading an app. About 78 percent of people in the United States using smartphones will not download an app to continue a transaction, despite how easy it is. Quite possibly people are protective of their digital space and do not want to invite confusion and needless notifications on their devices.
-Some app types are more popular than others. Looking at downloads from the Apple App Store, games take up 21.86 percent of downloads (more on games later). They know what you like and app developers are probably going to invest big in the future to make sure you get it.
-Some of this might also be skewed by the number of available apps and the desire for novelty. Games have a mostly limited shelf life, despite developer efforts to the contrary, but once someone finds a news app they like, they are unlikely to download another one or find a need to reinstall it.
-Some of this might also be skewed by the number of available apps and the desire for novelty. Games have a mostly limited shelf life, despite developer efforts to the contrary, but once someone finds a news app they like, they are unlikely to download another one or find a need to reinstall it.
-That being said, the development will also be placed on what will provide the most return on investment, whether that comes in the form of direct sales and purchases or in data that can be sold or utilized for advertisements later.
-Demographics matter when it comes to app usage. Just looking at age statistics can show you that, with a clear line down showing that the older people yet, the less time they spend on apps. See the graph below:
-However, the future is uncertain for this one, as the younger generations of today will be the older generations of tomorrow, and they will be far more used to apps than the elders of today who grew up without apps and can go without them. We also still need to learn about the usage habits of people younger than 18, some of which truly grew up with smartphones and know nothing else. Will there be a backlash, or will the trend continue?
-Where people download apps also matters if only so you can know where development is focused. China is the clear powerhouse with downloads, though many apps are China or Asian-countries only and you would not have heard of them. It is its own separate market in many regards, though with examples such as TikTok we might see some prominent imports in the future.
People generally do not like to pay for apps upfront, and most of the apps on the App Store are free, as shown below.
In the future, we can probably expect these two app stores to continue along their established lines unless something comes along to cause a major shakeup or a controversy erupts causing people to flee from one app store. However, we also cannot rule out the possibility of another app store rising to create some more competition. While Microsoft has had poor results in the past, they certainly have the resources to try again should they see a worthwhile opportunity.
Unexpected Growth and the Future (compare below how this info differs from 2025 and beyond prospects)
The entire app market is volatile and at times confusing, and fortunately unless you are a developer or a publisher you do not need to worry about that all that much. You use what you are going to use, leave the rest behind, and that is that. Yet looking towards the future is always important and certainly interesting when it comes to anything technology-related. Therefore, here are a few facts and figures we think you should know about:
-The usage of voice assistance, at least part of the time, is expected to go up over time, to the degree that about 93 percent of users will use them by 2023. As to why this might be the case, it can be a combination of convenience, necessity (to avoid using the phone while driving), and improved voice recognition technology.
-And as more people use them, the competition to create the best voice assistant will increase in intensity, perhaps leading to even further developments.
-As mentioned before, mobile gaming is becoming increasingly popular, with more games being available, more revenue being taken in by mobile games, and more games being developed (including by major studios hoping to cash in on popular IPs). The point where people can play top-tier releases with their phone and a controller is not far away.
-Both AR and VR apps are being developed regularly, and the market for these types of apps is growing. While they might be associated with gaming primarily at the moment, it is not hard to imagine a VR app that allows for house tours or viewing of special events as if you are really there. Some will be mobile-focused while others might require a bit more processing power, but what first comes somewhere else will eventually come to mobile.
Mobile App Trends 2025/2026
- Mobile apps are expected to generate more than $522 billion in revenue in 2025.
- The Apple App Store has 1.64 million apps available for download, while the Google Play Store offers 3.55 million.
- Around 21% of millennials open an app more than 50 times per day, and 49% of people open an app at least 11 times per day.
- Mobile apps account for 70% of all US digital media time.
- On average, smartphone owners use 10 apps daily and 30 apps monthly.
In addition, the site stated that:
- Mobile apps face increasingly sophisticated attacks, and that is why security is one of the top mobile app development trends in 2025. Last January, mobile app attacks jumped to 83%, up from 65% the year before.
- At the same time, global cyberattacks rose by 44% year-over-year, increasing the need for built-in defenses like encryption, continuous monitoring, and zero-trust access controls.
- Users now expect their data to stay safe, and regulators are tightening privacy and breach reporting rules, so mobile app developers can’t treat security as an afterthought.
- Google has already banned millions of harmful mobile apps and strengthened Play Protect to scan for malware in real time.
- To keep pace with the industry giants, mobile app development teams are integrating secure-coding practices, automated testing, and AI-powered threat detection into their mobile app development services.
AI Implementation
Another application development trend that shapes the industry in 2025 is the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into mobile app design and features.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are deeply embedded in both the mobile app design process and app functionality.
My belief is that they're going too fast and making too much about AI. It's still in the womb. In fact, the ingenuity, creativity, spontaneity, and wisdom throughout the ages can never be replaced by AI - Artificial Insanity.
AI will have its uses but much of the tech world and decision makers are putting the cart-before-the-horse. AI does not purchase grocery, buy clothing, cars, rent homes etc. So how will money be generated to keep the economy moving? Will AI purchase those things?
Emotions are overtaking solid, calm reasoning and unfortunately there will be disasters before it finally dawns on industries that AI can't and won't be able to supersede everything.
For business leaders in this space, the challenge is deciding what would change customer behavior and what is hype. Innovation is everywhere. Leaders must balance excitement with practicality. The focus should stay on what creates value.
And I totally agree!
Inspired by models like WeChat and Grab, super apps are becoming the “one-stop-shop” for users. Instead of downloading multiple apps, users will prefer platforms that combine payments, messaging, shopping, travel booking, and more.
- Businesses adopting ecosystem-driven apps will gain customer stickiness.
- Enterprises will create internal super apps for workforce productivity.
Speaking strictly from a consumer a point-of-view the perspective held by this site does hold merit. Nonetheless, it will be the people who decide the success of an app. Many times tech companies throw the baby out with the bathwater seeing that they exclude groups like the elderly and handicapped. Everyone will not be on board with the dramatic changes taking place. These transformations cannot be forced but gently eased into the psyche of the populace. Therefore, most hopes and dreams of tech companies will fall on deaf ears. However, there's nothing wrong with trying.
Final Thoughts
There are over six-million apps available and that number is continuously rising! Most of them you won't even need. However, it's good to know which app/s are practical for your needs.
Developing technologies, emerging back-end platforms to manage cloud services, and microservices configurations composed of autonomous movable microscopic components, are the current and future trend of mobile apps.
The question is: Will the slew of new apps on the horizon make things better or worse for the consumer? IMHO...most will remain in beta form at best. In any event, if your job requires upgrading your knowledge to incorporate the latest apps along with AI mechanisms you have a lot of work ahead of you. Make sure to get acquainted with the best apps available to help you work more competitively.
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