With such competition for smartphone users’ attention, given the choice available to consumers, it is little wonder that app publishers devote so much time and resources into perfecting their products. As the likes of Snapchat and Instagram will testify, an original app concept that’s promoted and executed well could quickly become an eye-watering money spinner.

The growth of the apps market since its 2008 origins has been scarcely believable. When the App Store launched that year, it had a selection of 500 apps. Between the various app markets operated by Apple, Google and Amazon, smartphone users can now pick from more than three million apps for practically every function imaginable. In 2017, there were 197 billion app downloads worldwide. In the next two years, that figure is anticipated to surpass 350 billion. The average smartphone user between the ages of 18 and 24 spends more than 120 hours each month using mobile apps; that’s equivalent to five whole days.

Scroll down to the infographic below from ERS IT Solutions to read more statistics that outline just how massive the apps industry has become.

Author Biography

This infographic and guest post was contributed by Colm Stafford, the Managing Director of Irish IT solutions company ERS IT Solutions. His business provides IT support and advice on the topics of cloud services, managed services, app development and more.