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The coronavirus has caught the world by surprise and sent shockwaves throughout the world. From individuals losing their jobs to businesses closing their doors left, right, and center, COVID-19 has shaken the world to its core. With millions of people getting infected and hundreds of thousands of them losing their lives, there is no other thing on anybody’s mind than to protect themselves from this virus.
In all that doom and gloom, there is a glimmer of hope. Some businesses have also benefited from this pandemic tremendously. The likes of Amazon, Netflix, Zoom, Slack, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, and others have seen their business graph shot through the roof.
With people spending more time inside their homes than outside, they are consuming more Netflix, shopping online, and attending virtual meetings. With consumer behavior and consumption patterns changing tremendously due to this pandemic, we are also seeing a paradigm shift in the mobile app development industry.
In this article, you will learn about how COVID-19 has impacted the mobile app development industry.
1. App Downloads and Installations Have Skyrocketed
According to app download statistics, there are 33.6 billion (24.3 billion android app downloads and 9.3 billion iOS app downloads) apps downloaded during the first quarter of 2020, which was only 28.7 billion (20.9 billion android apps and 7.8 billion iOS app downloads) in the last quarter of 2019. That is a 15% increase in app downloads in a single quarter.
We have never seen that kind of growth in app downloads in a short span of three months ever before. The demand for mobile apps has increased exponentially which encouraged app developers to create new and exciting apps to keep users entertained during quarantine life.
Have mobile app ideas that you want to convert into reality? Do not wait any longer. Now, is the best time to do so. Your idea could become the next big thing just like Zoom. More and more people are making payments and ordering products by using mobile applications.
As we entered a recession, consumer spending started declining as consumers started spending less money and saving more money. It also led to shrinking the customer lifetime value despite growing app downloads.
2. Gaming Apps are Becoming Even More Popular
With country-wide lockdown in effect and the majority of the workforce working remotely, employees are looking for an escape where they can get rid of all the stress after a tiring workday. Gaming apps came to your rescue and offered users an immersive and interactive way to keep boredom at bay.
It allows them to engage in a fun-filled activity that keeps them engaged. Even though the exact number is not clear, according to rough estimates there has been a 40% increase in the number of gaming app downloads since this pandemic started.
What is even more surprising is the fact that lesser-known titles secured the top spot in the most downloaded game list. Yes, you might find expected names such as PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, and Subway Surfers on this list, but the top spot goes to ASMR Slicing with more than 36.5 million installs. At the close second was PUBG mobile with 34.2 million installs. Garena Free Fire, another popular title, with more than 500 million downloads in total, grab the third spot.
3. Exponential Growth in Communication Apps
One app category that dominated the most downloaded apps list was communication apps. Among the top ten most downloaded apps, six were communication apps. One of the biggest surprises was the unbelievable rise of Zoom. Not only did its user base grow exponentially, but it amassed millions of downloads in the process.
Google’s answers to Zoom, and Google Meet also made it to the list. Instant messaging apps such as WhatsApp, and Messenger, as social media, and photo-sharing apps such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat grab the remaining spot along with Gmail and YouTube.
4. More Opportunities for App Developers
Whether you are a startup who have just started or a small business or a large-scale enterprise, everyone has felt the impact of this pandemic and the recession caused by their global epidemic. Most businesses are taking cost-cutting measures to deal with this crisis.
Apart from firing employees, they have ended contracts with some of the well-established mobile app development companies. This opens doors for small and medium-sized app development agencies and developers.
As businesses continue their search for their new digital partner, they are usually looking at companies that deliver consistently and are offering the best bang for their buck. This is a golden opportunity for small and mid-size companies and developers as they can bag some contracts from big companies. It is all about being at the right place at the right time.
5. E-commerce Apps Are All the Rage
As shopping malls and businesses started closing their stores throughout the world, customers took to eCommerce apps and started ordering everything from there. This has increased the demand for E-commerce apps as retailers have to go online to sell products once their brick-and-mortar stores are closed.
Whether it is Amazon, eBay, or Walmart, most people prefer shopping online even for items like toilet paper. In fact, many governments introduced e-commerce apps to allow their citizens to get basic items delivered to their doorstep.
6. Growing Interest in Health Care Apps
Delivering medical care to far-flung areas is challenging but providing health care facilities during a pandemic is even more difficult. That is where health care apps come in handy. Many health care apps are allowing their users to book their appointment with doctors and get useful advice online. Some websites and apps are also delivering medicines and kits to your doorstep, so you do not have to go outside to your nearest pharmacy to get your medicine.
The global health care market is expected to grow by 5X within the next five years. This means that this trend will continue even after the coronavirus ends. What impact did COVID-19 have on the app development industry in your opinion? Let us know in the comments section below.