Thursday, January 22, 2026

Consumers Spend More on Apps than Games for the First Time, Fueled by Gen-AI Services

In its 2026 State of Mobile report, Sensor Tower reveals significant trends in the digital economy, highlighting a 10% year-over-year (YoY) growth in in-app purchases (IAP), reaching $167 billion globally in 2025. Notably, revenue from non-gaming apps, boosted by Generative AI, outpaced gaming for the first time, with a staggering 21% YoY increase. Consumers are deeply engaged, spending 5.3 trillion hours on apps, particularly in social media, which remains the highest source of IAP revenue. Fast-growing categories include social and drama apps, which surged by 278% and 148%, respectively. As games shift towards efficiency, finance apps like credit and lending saw an 18% download increase. Meanwhile, food delivery and sports betting apps also displayed robust growth. These insights illustrate the evolving landscape of mobile engagement and monetization strategies. For further details, visit sensortower.com.

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