Brits No1 for music app spend
Booming demand for mobile apps helped global spend on digital entertainment jump by 30 per cent last year, according to new figures out today.
Consumers spent $57bn (£34bn) on digital games, apps and online movies in 2013, up from $44bn the previous year, research analysts IHS Global Insight and App Annie said.
Mobile apps – driven by the download gaming apps– led the charge, with overall spend up 130 per cent. But digital games was still by far the biggest category, with consumer spend totalling $34bn excluding apps.
Source: IHS Global Insight
Spend on music apps was also strong – up 77 per cent – with Brits, who are seen as early adopters, spending more than any other country per capita.
"Online music accounted for 20 per cent of all UK consumer spend on digital games, movies, apps and music in 2013. The highest share for music in any of the leading content markets tracked by IHS and App Annie in this report," said IHS principal research Jack Kent.
App Annie’s Marcos Sanchez, said:
I can say that we have seen a rise in the freemium business model, where apps are free and there are purchases available within the app, but they aren't required. This model seems to do exceedingly well in countries that are high technology adopters, have advanced smart phone, high usage rates and fast connectivity, of which the UK is a prime example.
Outside mobile apps, online movies was one of the strongest growing digital content categories in 2013, up 21 per cent year- over-year.
Growth in online movies was particularly strong in the UK, Germany, and Russia, where online movies grew faster than online music, digital games, and apps excluding games.
Source: IHS Global Insight