AG-2020年全球苹果应用商店生态系统研究报告（英文）-2021.6-30页_880kb

Summary of the Apple App Store Ecosystem and Its Impact on Small Businesses

Core Content

The report provides a global analysis of the Apple App Store ecosystem, focusing on its role in supporting small businesses. It outlines the scale of the ecosystem, the growth of small developers, and the ways in which the App Store facilitates sales and success for small businesses, both directly and indirectly.

Main Points

1. Size of the App Store Ecosystem

• Total Billings and Sales (2020): $643 billion, a 24% increase from 2019.
• Breakdown of Revenue Streams:
  • Digital Goods and Services: $86 billion (13% of total), up 41% from 2019.
  • Physical Goods and Services: $511 billion (80% of total), up 24% from 2019.
  • In-App Advertising: $46 billion (7% of total), up 4% from 2019.
• Geographic Distribution:
  • China: 47% of total billings and sales.
  • US: 27%.
  • Europe: 12%.
  • Rest of the World: 14%.
• Regional Trends:
  • The US and Europe saw the most significant growth in digital goods and services.
  • Physical goods and services saw substantial increases in general retail, food delivery, and grocery sectors.

2. Success of Small Businesses on the App Store

• Small Developers (2015–2020):
  • Represented over 90% of all developers on the App Store.
  • Grew by 40% in number between 2015 and 2020.
  • Many experienced substantial growth in earnings and downloads.
• Examples of Successful Small Developers:
  • Loopsie: Earnings grew from $16K to $2M+ in 3 years.
  • Makaron: Valuation nearly tripled to $150M in 2 years.
  • Butterfly iQ: Doubled its workforce from 100 to 200 in 2 years.
• Sustained Success:
  • Apps like Streaks, Cone, and Afterlight showed consistent growth over time.
• Milestones of Success:
  • Over 75 businesses in the US and Europe with iOS apps at the core of their business models went public or were acquired since 2011.
  • IPOs: 40 companies with a total valuation of over $450 billion.
  • Acquisitions: 39 companies with a total acquisition value of over $45 billion.
  • Notable examples include Snapchat, Stitcher, Unity, Bumble, and Deliveroo.

3. Support for Small Developers

• App Store Small Business Program (2021):
  • Developers earning less than $1 million annually qualify for a 15% commission rate.
• Ecosystem Benefits:
  • The App Store provides a global platform for app distribution.
  • Offers built-in support for local payment methods.
  • Provides tools, resources, and educational programs to help developers create, distribute, and market apps.
• Monetization Beyond the App Store:
  • The ecosystem supports monetization outside of the App Store, such as through digital goods and services, physical goods and services, and in-app advertising.
  • Apple collects no commission on these external sales, which account for about 90% of total billings and sales.

Key Information

• The App Store ecosystem is a major driver of global digital commerce.
• The growth of small businesses has been significantly influenced by the App Store, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Digital platforms such as Taobao, Etsy, and Deliveroo are also integral to the ecosystem, enabling small businesses to reach global consumers.
• The App Store supports diverse monetization strategies, which allow small developers to thrive even without relying solely on in-app purchases or direct sales through the App Store.

Conclusion

The Apple App Store ecosystem has evolved into a powerful global platform that supports a wide range of small businesses. It not only facilitates direct monetization but also enables indirect sales through digital platforms. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital tools, leading to substantial growth in the ecosystem, particularly in digital goods and services, and physical goods and services such as retail, food delivery, and grocery. Small developers have shown remarkable growth and success, with some evolving into large enterprises or being acquired. The ecosystem's value lies in its accessibility, support for innovation, and the ability to connect small businesses with global consumers.