What are Indians using their mobile for?
Accessing social media was the primary activity carried out using mobile phones, followed by internet browsers. Google and Instagram were two of the most downloaded apps in the country. Besides staying connected and surfing the Internet, Indian app users sought entertainment. Alongside the extensive use of YouTube, streaming services had come a long way - with both advertisement-based and paid subscriptions seeing significant market growth in recent years. The viable market saw a boom in domestic platforms in the video and audio streaming segments, providing affordable alternatives to global competitors.Besides streaming media, mobile gaming was the other key source of entertainment for Indian mobile app users. Smartphones provided a cheap alternative to console gaming, resulting in over 90 percent of the Indian gaming population playing on mobile devices. Consumer spending on mobile games while still minute compared to the global market, is on the rise in the South Asian market.
Speaking of purchasing, the use of mobile shopping apps as well as mobile payments grew at a rapid pace, boosted by the coronavirus pandemic. Huge advertising budgets from e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart not only created a buzz about mobile shopping among Indians, but also helped new players within the market establish their respective niche - ranging from food delivery services to travel and hospitality. Other emerging app categories included online dating, trading and investment, and e-governance.