Taking a look into the growing app economy throughout the Middle East & North Africa region, we examine who the typical consumer is, what they are looking for and how they find it.
Leading Mobile App Development Companies in India (2).pdf
Insights into the App Economy in MENA
1. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
LONDON – SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
App Economy
- MENA
Nader Kobeissi
2. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
On Device Research uses
the mobile internet to gain
access to consumer opinions
at any time or place.
The company has conducted over 25 million
surveys in 85 countries, and has offices in
London, Dubai and Singapore.
3. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
Methodology + sample
• Mobile panel lists answer survey in their browser
• Survey automatically optimised for their device to offer best experience
• Sample is representative of the smartphone owners in each country
• Sample of N=500 per country in: Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, UAE & KSA
• Profiled on age, gender, region, nationality and income
4. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
App economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
How many apps have you
downloaded in the past month?
52%Download 5+Apps
2%Download 0 Apps
5. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
51% Saudi Arabia 41% UAE
32% Egypt
40% of mobile internet users pay to
download Apps
41% Lebanon
35% Jordan
6. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
Games & Social Media related Apps
are the most popular
14%
15%
16%
18%
20%
21%
27%
28%
37%
60%
Lifestyle
Weather
Health & Fitness
Shopping
Photography and video
Education
Sports
Music
Social media
Games
Most Downloaded Apps…
7. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
Different clusters of apps used by
different profiles of consumers
Business
Lifestyle
Games
Music
Social media
Education
Health & Fitness
Finance
News and magazines
Photography and video Shopping
Sports
Travel
Weather
Utilities
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
29% 31% 33% 35% 37% 39% 41% 43% 45%
%Female
% Over 30
Further to the right = Older Higher Up = More Female Larger the bubble = Greater Popularity
8. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
Business
Lifestyle
Games
Music
Social media
Education
Health & Fitness
Finance
News and magazines
Photography and video Shopping
Sports
Travel
Weather
Utilities
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
29% 31% 33% 35% 37% 39% 41% 43% 45%
%Female
% Over 30
Different clusters of apps used by
different profiles of consumers
Further to the right = Older Higher Up = More Female Larger the bubble = Greater Popularity
9. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
Business
Lifestyle
Games
Music
Social media
Education
Health & Fitness
Finance
News and magazines
Photography and video Shopping
Sports
Travel
Weather
Utilities
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
29% 31% 33% 35% 37% 39% 41% 43% 45%
%Female
% Over 30
Different clusters of apps used by
different profiles of consumers
Further to the right = Older Higher Up = More Female Larger the bubble = Greater Popularity
10. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
Business
Lifestyle
Games
Music
Social media
Education
Health & Fitness
Finance
News and magazines
Photography and video Shopping
Sports
Travel
Weather
Utilities
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
29% 31% 33% 35% 37% 39% 41% 43% 45%
%Female
% Over 30
Different clusters of apps used by
different profiles of consumers
Further to the right = Older Higher Up = More Female Larger the bubble = Greater Popularity
11. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
App store ranking & reviews central to
App discovery
10%
17%
19%
30%
30%
32%
37%
Appfinder' app
Recommendations - media /
blogs
Advertising / Marketing
App store - Featured section
App store - Bestseller lists
Recommendations - friends
App store - random browsing
How do you find new apps?
12. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
44% of consumers
use In-App purchases
Purchase
13. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
39% of people said they would make
a one off payment within an App to
avoid advertising
39% 37%
29%
19%
To avoid
advertising
Additional content Buy something
which has been
previewed on
screen
Shortcuts (e.g.
reaching the end of
a level, buying
more lives)
14. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
3% Purchase
apps + Don’t do
In-app
53% Never spend money on apps
37%
Purchase Apps +
Do In App Purchases
8% In-app purchases
+ Don’t purchase
apps
Purchase in-app
15. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
58% of 40 to 49 year olds pay for apps,
compared to 43% of 19-24 year olds
Purchase Apps or use In-App Payments
43%
49% 50%
58%
19-24 25-29 30-39 40-49
16. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
App economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
22% said they don’t spend more on
Apps because they don’t find
interesting enough Apps
20% I don’t trust the
payment security
19% I have to share
too much personal
information
16% I can’t find
what I want to buy
17. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
App economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
35% of Smartphone owners in the
KSA said that engaging with a
brand they know is the number
one factor that will build their trust
in mobile payment …
18. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
What would build your trust in
mobile apps and payments?
11%
12%
18%
22%
25%
26%
28%
28%
Directed by a school or employer
Having bought from the merchant before
Full disclosure about intentions of my personal information
Directed by a friend or relative
Greater efforts made towards in personal data protection
Engaging with brands I know
Positive reviews or feedback ratings
An app which protects security and privacy
19. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
81% Saudi Arabia 39% UAE
67% Egypt
81% of people in the KSA download
Arabic apps vs. 39% in the UAE
54% Lebanon
70% Jordan
20. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
App economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
People in the GCC don’t download more
Arabic Apps cause they don’t find what they
want nor find the Arabic Apps of good quality
Why don't you download more Arabic mobile Apps?
12%
16%
16%
30%
31%
34%
I don’t trust Arabic mobile apps
I had previous bad experiences with
Arabic mobile apps
I don't know how to find Arabic mobile
apps
I don't find them of good quality
I don’t find what I want in Arabic mobile
apps
I prefer international apps
21. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
App economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
1. Discovery ofApps is based on reviews &
ratings more than on Marketing/Advertising
2. Large number of people willing to pay either for
Apps or in-Apps
3. Great need for betterArabic content
22. App Economy - MENA LONDON - SINGAPORE – DUBAI
OnDeviceResearch.com
Get in touch
Nader Kobeissi
nader@ondeviceresearch.com
+971 55 154 6263
@naderkob
www.ondeviceresearch.com