2021年应用程序参与情况（英）-36页_4mb

报告摘要

The State of App Engagement 2021 Summary

Core Content

This report provides an in-depth analysis of global app engagement trends in 2021, focusing on active users, session metrics, and retention. It uses data from Sensor Tower's Usage Intelligence and Store Intelligence to benchmark performance across iOS and Android platforms, with a special emphasis on non-game apps and mobile games.

Main Points

Active Users

The top 500 apps have seen average monthly active users (MAU) increase by 12–14% annually since Q1 2018.
Social Networking, Games, and Utilities were the top categories by MAU, WAU, and DAU.
Hypercasual games emerged as the top genre by MAU and WAU, while Simulation ranked third overall.
Shooter games had the highest DAU among mid-core genres, driven by global success of titles like PUBG Mobile and Garena Free Fire.
Business, Education, and Medical categories saw substantial MAU growth due to the pandemic and the shift to remote work.
Travel and Navigation were the slowest growing categories, significantly impacted by the pandemic, though signs of recovery emerged as travel restrictions eased.

Session Metrics

Average daily time spent in apps peaked at 21.3 minutes per day in Q2 2020, with a decline but still above 2019 levels in Q2 2021.
Entertainment apps had the highest average time spent (nearly 30 minutes per day), while Social Networking had the highest session count but shorter sessions.
Games had the highest average time spent (over 5 minutes per session), with mid-core genres (Strategy, RPG, Action) leading in time spent and Casual genres (Hypercasual) having the lowest.
Casino games had high revenue per download (RPD) despite modest time spent.
Android users spent more time in games than iOS users, but retention rates for games on Android were lower.

Retention

Day 1 retention for top apps increased since 2018, while longer-term retention (Day 30 and beyond) decreased, particularly in gaming.
Hypercasual games had low retention due to short player lifecycles and low time spent.
Non-gaming apps saw improved retention during the pandemic, with Weather, Utilities, and Social Networking showing strong long-term retention.
Tabletop games had the highest day 30 retention among game genres, outperforming others despite being a casual genre.
On Android, Strategy and Tabletop had above-average retention, while Shooter and Action had lower retention.

Key Insights

Active user growth was driven by the pandemic, but many categories have returned to pre-pandemic trends.
Hypercasual games are a major force in user acquisition but struggle with retention.
Mid-core games (Strategy, RPG, Action) have higher retention and time spent compared to Casual games.
Non-game apps (especially Business, Education, and Medical) have seen significant MAU growth.
Retention in gaming is lower than in non-gaming apps, and this trend is linked to the rise of Hypercasual titles.
App engagement is strongly correlated with monetization, with Casual and Casino games having high RPD.

Conclusion

App usage and engagement have grown steadily since 2018, with non-game apps showing more sustained growth.
Hypercasual games are dominant in user acquisition but lag in retention.
Casual and mid-core genres differ significantly in engagement and monetization.
Retention trends highlight the long-term impact of the pandemic on certain categories, particularly Travel and Navigation.
The report underscores the importance of balancing user engagement with monetization strategies for app developers and marketers.

Appendix

The report defines categories for both non-game apps and mobile game genres.
App Store and Google Play categories are mapped for better understanding of app classifications.
Hypercasual games are simple, low-budget, and ad-reliant.
Casual, Mid-Core, and Sports & Racing are distinct genres with different engagement and monetization patterns.
Casino games are highly monetized, focusing on existing users rather than mass adoption.

Summary of Key Categories and Genres

Category/Genre	Active User Rank	Time Spent Rank	Retention Rank
Social Networking	1	2	1
Games	1	3	1
Utilities	1	4	1
Hypercasual	1 (MAU/WAU)	1 (time spent)	1 (retention)
Simulation	3	3	3
Tabletop	1 (retention)	1 (time spent)	1 (retention)
Shooter	1 (DAU)	2 (time spent)	1 (retention)
Strategy	1 (retention)	1 (time spent)	1 (retention)
RPG	1 (retention)	1 (time spent)	1 (retention)
Casino	1 (RPD)	3 (time spent)	1 (retention)

Summary of Key Trends

MAU growth has been consistent since 2018, with a peak in Q2 2020.
Hypercasual games are fast-growing but low in retention.
Mid-core games (Strategy, RPG, Action) have higher retention and time spent.
Non-game apps (Business, Education, Medical) have seen the most growth.
Retention has declined for gaming apps, especially Hypercasual, but non-games have maintained or improved retention rates.

Summary of Key Observations

Social Networking apps are highly engaged, with high DAU and WAU.
Games have high day 1 retention but low long-term retention.
App engagement is closely tied to monetization, with Casual and Casino games being more monetization-focused.
Android users tend to spend more time in games but have lower retention than iOS users.
Business, Education, and Medical categories are major beneficiaries of the pandemic shift to remote work and learning.