Dive Brief:
- A recent report from Nielsen shows that monthly time spent on apps has increased year-over-year 37 hours, 28 minutes -- nearly a full work week -- from 23 hours, two minutes.
- Although time spent has grown considerably, over 70% of time spent is still within just the top 200 apps.
- The average U.S. smartphone user accesses 27 apps per month -- consistent over the past few years -- but, other apps are getting shut out.
Dive Insight:
Nielsen's news regarding time spent shows that apps have become a pervasive part of Americans' mobile routines, but only the top 200 apps are really benefiting. With millions of apps sitting in the app store, it means the majority of apps are seeing very little screen time.
A separate comScore study showed similar results, as Marketing Land puts it, "one of in-groups and out-groups." This news should raise a red flag for brands and marketers about how valuable having a mobile app really is for them. If they choose to push one out, marketers need to zero in on the value add for the selective consumer.