As we roll into 2022, it’s important to look back on the year that has passed to get a sense of where things are heading this year. And App Annie has done just that, assessing the global mobile industry and how it is performing in 2021 – and offering some advice on what might be in store.
And what astonishing statistics it offers. 3.8 trillion hours spent using applications; 230 billion applications downloaded; and $ 170 billion spent via mobile. Crazy eh?
What it shows is what was growing in 2021 and where it could be heading. There are several key trends, but for now think social media, video streaming, mcommerce, and games. These were huge in 2021 and, thanks to changing consumer habits, are expected to be even higher in 2022.
By far the biggest mobile sector in 2021 has been social media. It covers all other mobile offerings, playing a role in games, video streaming, music streaming, retail, health and wellness, banking, finance, payments and more.
According to data from App Annie, 70% of the time spent on mobile was on social media. It really becomes the platform or platforms through which everything happens.
So what does this mean for the coming year? Well there will naturally be more of the same, but for the telemedia industry there will be a slow movement towards how to manage and operate the kind of services the industry specializes in on social platforms. .
We are already seeing many CPaaS providers starting to explore how to integrate OTT messaging services into their business offerings, but to tap into the real place where consumers are, businesses are going to have to explore how to better engage and interact. with them through social media channels.
Over the course of 2021, we’ve written extensively about the rise of CPaaS and the changing channels through which consumers seek to engage with brands. What to expect is how to let them engage with businesses through messaging, live chat, and video, often through a range of social platforms.
Yes, adding WhatsApp is a start, but what about when someone wants to send you a DM through Twitter, or chooses to show you what they want through TikTok?
It sounds absurd, but this is where consumer engagement is heading. Fast.
The same goes for games. Although it is a massive industry in its own right, the types of games played are evolving more and more into not only role-playing games (RPGs) but also a host of lifestyle games and more. again.
These two are also embracing social media platforms as a way to interact. It just might change the way games are marketed and, more importantly for telemedia companies, the way they charge things.
Does the face of operator billing match this pattern? It remains to be seen. What is certain is that alternative payment tools must be integrated and developed quickly to meet the demands that we are going to see in 2022.
Hardcore dating from Telemedia VAS has also seen a boom on mobile, growing 95% since 2018, as more people turn to mobile to find love in an era of Covid. Here too, things are different from what they used to be. Gone are the days of connection lines at preferential rates; Mobile dating is now a billion dollar mainstream business. It also leverages social media, video streaming, and other technologies to make an offering focused on user experience.
Add to that the rise in avatar creation on mobile – which has a huge impact on everything from games to messaging and more – and there is a lot to look forward to in 2022 and many changes to come.
DISCOVER ALL OUR OTHER PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 HERE
