An upcoming Sensor Tower report says U.S. iPhone users spent an average of $79 on games and apps in the App Store during 2018. That’s up 36% from 2017.
According to the report’s findings, per-device app spending in the U.S. grew more over the past year than it did in 2017.
From 2017 to 2018, iPhone users spent an average of $21 or more on in-app purchases and paid app downloads — a 36 percent increase compared with the 23 percent increase from 2016 to 2017, when revenue per device grew from $47 to $58.
Most of the growth came in the mobile gaming category, with 56% of the $79 being spent on games in the App Store. Spending was also up in other categories, including entertainment, music, social networking, and health and fitness.
While gaming grew at a good rate, more substantial growth took place in the categories outside of gaming – including the categories where subscription-based apps tend to rule the top charts.
Per-device app spending in the U.S. grew more over the past year than it did in 2017. From 2017 to 2018, iPhone users spent an average of $21 or more on in-app purchases and paid app downloads — a 36% increase compared with the 23% increase from 2016 to 2017, when revenue per device grew from $47 to $58.
For example, Entertainment apps grew their spend per device increase by 82 percent to $8 of the total in 2018. Lifestyle apps increased by 86 percent to reach $3.90, up from $2.10.
And though it didn’t make the top five, Health & Fitness apps also grew 75 percent year-over-year to account for an average of $2.70, up from $1.60 in 2017.
Other categories in the top five included Music and Social Networking apps, which both grew by 22 percent.
This indicates that subscription apps are helping to drive iPhone consumer spending higher.
