Sensor Tower has revealed its newest “State of Cellular” report, which gives an summary of key app utilization tendencies and shifts, which may assist to tell your strategic strategy.
The complete, 94-page report contains in-depth breakdowns of cell apps by class, and key notes on the place app entrepreneurs and people working in every sector needs to be wanting. You possibly can obtain the complete report right here (with e-mail sign-up), however on this submit, we’ll check out the important thing social app tendencies of notice.
First off, the report highlights the continued energy of social apps, which stay the most well-liked app kind, primarily based on whole downloads.
As you possibly can see, Netflix can be in style, together with newcomers like Temu and ChatGPT. However social apps proceed to dominate in total downloads, underlining the connective position that these platforms now play in trendy life.
Which is why they continue to be key concerns for advertising, for all manufacturers, whereas the report additionally exhibits that social apps additionally proceed dominate total time spent.
By way of social apps particularly, the report highlights a number of key utilization tendencies, together with the rise of in-app purchases (IAPs).
As you possibly can see in these charts, total time spent in social apps remains to be rising, although at decrease charges than earlier years, whereas in-app spending is up considerably, on the again of platform add-on companies and purchasing.
That factors to extra alternatives for apps to combine extra purchasing components, which may see extra purchase now choices showing in additional feeds.
The report additionally appears to be like on the rise of short-form video, and the way Meta has benefited from making Reels a spotlight.
As per Sensor Tower:
“Sensor Tower knowledge reveals that U.S. Fb consumer time spent on Reels in December 2024 elevated 17 share factors from January 2024, equating to hundreds of thousands of engagement hours shifting to the function.”
The push to combine extra Reels into extra components of Fb and IG has delivered huge advantages, and you’ll count on to see Meta leaning much more into this strategy, and AI-based suggestions, shifting ahead.
The report additionally appears to be like on the rising competitors for X, and the way opponents are consuming into the previous chicken app’s utilization.
As you possibly can see on this chart, whereas Threads is progressively increasing in total time spent versus X, individuals are additionally spending much less time in these apps, exhibiting a broader backlash in opposition to the format.
“With X because the runaway chief by time spent within the area, world time spent for the highest 10 apps fell 10% between 2021 and 2024. Whereas some X customers are switching to options, others merely discovered different sources of leisure like short-form movies or streaming.”
That’s doubtless why X is now attempting to re-frame itself as a “video first” platform, to be able to higher align with total utilization shifts, and get its progress again on observe.
The report additionally appears to be like at whole downloads by area, together with total app rankings:
And progress in downloads during the last yr:
Notice the presence of Threads in each charts, which isn’t any shock provided that app was solely launched in mid-2023. However it’s superb to see how Elon Musk’s modifications at X opened the door for a competitor to rise to 300 million energetic customers in such a brief interval.
There’s additionally a complete phase within the report on the rise of AI apps, which additionally contains some stark charts and knowledge:
Whether or not you prefer it or not, AI content material creation is on the rise, and as these apps proceed to enhance, you’re going to see increasingly of those depictions on-line.
The complete report contains in-depth, regional breakdowns, and lots of extra app classes, and it’s an excellent learn anyone working in apps or associated sectors. Which is just about everybody, and there are some helpful notes on the place issues are headed, and what’s occurring by way of total app utilization.
You possibly can obtain Sensor Tower’s State of Cellular 2025 report right here.
