Mobile App Growth in Emerging Markets, According to Ovum

The mobile applications market has grown exponentially in recent years, yet more than two-thirds of consumers do not download apps, according to a recent study by Ovum.

Ovum is a provider of independent and objective analysis, and assists clients in making better business and technology decisions.

The independent global analyst firm notes that despite the high and fast-growing penetration of smartphones, there is much possibility and opportunity for additional growth in application downloads.

The latest Consumer Insights Survey by Ovum was the basis for a report which stated that users in emerging markets demonstrate the greatest enthusiasm for application downloads.

Ninety-one percent of respondents in China noted that they actively download applications, and this is followed by 84 percent of respondents in India and 67 percent in Brazil.

Consumers are also happy to pay much higher premiums for application downloads when in emerging markets; 21 percent of respondents in India said they spend upwards of US$15 each month on application downloads, whereas 13 percent noted that they spend between US$8 and US$15 every month.

The principal analyst at Ovum, Eden Zoller, stated: "These findings from emerging markets reflect the positive impact that the large and growing middle class, coupled with strong demand from young, urban dwellers in both China and India, are having on the app economy. Even less-affluent users in emerging markets can justify the purchase of an application if it is a key source of information or entertainment." (CY) Link. Link