The State of the Mobile World: Top Stats to Know Moving Forward

As a new year approaches yet again, it’s important to take a moment for reflection. This is especially true in an arena like mobile application development, where technology is continuing to advance at a break-neck pace at all times. Taking the time to assess where the industry came from, where it currently is and where it is headed will put you in the best possible position with your development efforts come January 1.

Smartphones Are Not a Fad

According to research conducted by App Annie, smartphones and other mobile devices aren’t going ANYWHERE. Sales aren’t even leveling off – somehow, they’re increasing even after several consecutive years of record-breaking sales. The study revealed that in 2015, an incredible 1.4 BILLION smartphones were sold around the world.

Smartphone Internet is Getting Faster

Also important to note for mobile app developers in particular is that the Internet connectivity of mobile devices is getting stronger all the time. In 2015, there were more than one billion people who had mobile devices with high-speed 4G connections. According to App Annie, that number is expected to balloon to an astounding 2.6 billion over the next four years alone.

This makes a large amount of sense as, according to research conducted by Smart Insights, roughly 80% of the three billion people who use the Internet worldwide use smartphones and other mobile devices as their primary means of access.

The Changing Face of the Industry

As mobile devices themselves become more powerful, it therefore makes perfect sense that the mobile app development industry would do the same. According to a study conducted by GSMA, the mobile industry across the board generates roughly $3.1 trillion in revenue each year. To put that in a slightly different perspective, that’s about 4.2% of the total global GDP. More interestingly, that number is expected to increase to $3.7 trillion by as soon as 2020.

It isn’t just home users that lean heavily on their mobile devices, either. According to a study conducted by Salesforce, almost 60% of all marketers said that mobile apps were CRITICAL for creating a cohesive, quality and reliable customer journey across various marketing channels. In a way, mobile apps have become the glue that holds the entire marketing experience together, both for the marketers themselves and for the customers that they’re trying to connect with.

In 2015 alone, the mobile ecosystem was responsible for creating almost 17 million jobs. Out of the almost two hours each day that the average mobile user spends with their device, 89% of that time is devoted entirely to interacting with mobile apps according to Social Media Today.

This begs the question – is the increased reliance on mobile software causing the industry itself to play a more important role in society, or is the now undeniable prominence of the industry creating the rate at which the users are embracing this technological shift? Either way, it’s great news for mobile app developers indeed.

Statistics like these underscore not only how important mobile technology is, but how essential these devices will continue to become moving forward. Make no mistake: mobile app development isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and as the total number of smartphone and other mobile device users grows worldwide, it will become an even bigger opportunity for developers in the future. Understanding the strengths of the platform you’re working with, along with ways that you can use software to create a complimentary experience for how users are already living their lives, is one of the keys to remaining successful in this landscape.

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