A 2019 ComScore App Usage report underscores that consumers are increasingly spending their time and money on apps. According to the report, consumers spent an average of 69% of digital media time on smartphone and tablet apps and only 23% on desktops, a 12% increase in time spent in apps over the previous year. While the average user already downloads two apps a month, data suggests that the preference for apps will only increase. Unsurprisingly, the study found that app usage is heavier among younger users, but all age groups, including those over 65, spent the majority of their time in apps as opposed to on websites accessed.

While consumers are demonstrating a preference for accessing content through apps and there are millions of apps available for consumers to choose from, they are designed operate on essentially the two distinct mobile operating systems that compete with one another for consumers. A consumer’s decision to purchase a smartphone or tablet is driven by not only the features offered by the device, but also by the apps available for the device. In exchange for making a significant investment in a device, consumers expect access to the content of their choosing.