Unsurprisingly for a country with 760 million smartphones, India is among the top markets for mobile app installs. And the market shows no sign of slowing down – 19 billion mobile apps were downloaded in 2019, an estimated 30 billion in 2020, and the figures for this year are likely to be even higher. But what has accounted for India’s app market becoming the fastest growing in the world? Below is a closer look at India’s mobile app market, as well as some of the most popular apps in the country.
Indian mobile market
Although India is the second-largest mobile app market in the world – behind China – it leads the way in terms of growth. In the space of three years, India’s app market has grown by 190% – this is compared to 45% average growth across the rest of the world.
As many can afford a mobile device but don’t use a computer, smartphones, and tablets dominate the way people browse online in the country. The COVID-19 pandemic gave the industry a boost as social distancing measures made embracing digital more of a necessity than a luxury.
Multipurpose apps
Some of the most popular apps in India are diversifying and offering their users many services – these are known as “super apps”. Many, such as Grab and GoJek, now offer users a wide range of services, from e-commerce, food delivery, taxi services, and more, and this has taken off greatly across India and the rest of the subcontinent. Apps such as Truecaller allow users to screen calls, as well as providing messaging services, and even allowing credit checks and payments. The idea behind this is to maximize engagement with the app.
Most popular apps in India
Here is a list of some of the most popular apps on the market in India at present. The list is by no means complete – there are hundreds of apps that have soared in popularity in the last 24 months.
Communication and social media
Indian users make up the largest number of Whatsapp users in the world, with a staggering 340 million active users – for some scale, Brazil is the second largest with 99 million. All the major social media networks are extremely popular, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat (India is second only to the USA in terms of Snapchat users). Truecaller (also mentioned above) is also extremely popular as a go-to solution for communication and financial services.
Gaming
Mobile gaming is growing in popularity across the globe. Mobile has become a respected gaming platform, and many console classics are successfully migrating, joining games made especially for mobile use. Popular games in India include shooters like Garena Free Fire: The Cobra and Call of Duty, sports games such as eFootball PES 2021 and FIFA, and world-building games such as Coin Master and Minecraft.
Mobile Betting and Casino Games
Mobile betting and casino games are also very popular in India, with players trying their luck at sports betting, card tables, roulette wheels, and slot machines. According to the bet365 portal BetFromAsia.com, users can find numerous apps on Google Play, operators such as Bet365 which is one of the best in the business for sports betting and casino games.
The app is mainly known for its impressive sports betting section that covers many popular sports like Cricket, IPL, EPL, Champions League, rugby, NBA, darts, but even some less ‘sporty’ events, like international political elections or TV shows. What is more, it also includes many standard casino games players can indulge in like Poker, Blackjack, or Slots. Besides Bet365 India, there are a plethora of other betting and gambling apps punters can consider like Unibet, Betiton, Leo Vegas, Casumo, and many more others. A true online Vegas.
E-Commerce
The e-commerce industry is absolutely booming in India, with a reported 800% growth over the last year. Amazon leads the way as it does in many parts of the world, but there are numerous other e-commerce apps that have become incredibly popular in the country. These include Flipkart, founded in 2007 by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, registered in Singapore but trading in India, as well as ShopClues, Pepperfry, and OLX. The coronavirus pandemic led to a surge in online shopping, explaining both the popularity of these apps and the massive growth in the sector.
Fitness
The pandemic has also led to a rise in fitness, wellness, and weight loss apps, as Indians find themselves unable to go to the gym. HealthifyMe, an Indian fitness and wellbeing app launched by Tushar Vasisht has reported a 40% growth in the last year. Also, Hand Wash trackers have become popular.
Dating
India is seeing a big increase in online dating, with Tinder, OkCupid, and Bumble growing in popularity since their arrival on the scene in 2018. Part of this can be attributed to societal shifts, where young women are more empowered and less under the influence of family when it comes to selecting a partner. There are also Indian apps such as Aisle, which is more geared towards finding a long-term partner rather than casual dating.
News
The popularity of news apps in India is linked to their ability to appeal to a broad range of the population in a very diverse nation. Many apps now offer the news in a selection of languages used across the subcontinent.
India has seen rapid growth in the mobile app industry in recent years. If forecasts are correct, the market will continue to grow exponentially over the coming years, possibly eclipsing China in terms of installs
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