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Understanding consumers' mobile apps usage, preference, and expectations

Quantitative research
Video based open-ends
Concept Test
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Background

A mobile app development company wanted to understand how consumers use mobile apps and which apps they prefer to use on a daily basis. The goal was to identify consumer preferences and trends in mobile app usage, which could be used to inform the development of future apps.


Methodology

We conducted an online survey of 1,000 smartphone users from different demographics and regions using Enumerate AI’s proprietary mechanism wherein open-ends are captured through audio / video. The survey was designed to gather data on the types of apps consumers use, the frequency of app usage, and their preferred apps. We also conducted one on one interviews with a subset of the survey respondents to gather qualitative insights into their app usage habits.


Findings

Our survey revealed that the most commonly used mobile apps were social media apps, messaging apps, entertainment apps, and e-commerce apps. 95% of respondents reported using social media apps, with Facebook being the most popular, followed by Instagram and Twitter. 90% of respondents reported using messaging apps, with WhatsApp being the most popular, followed by Facebook Messenger and WeChat.

In terms of entertainment apps, 80% of respondents reported using video streaming apps, with YouTube being the most popular, followed by Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Gaming apps were also popular, with 70% of respondents reporting playing games on their smartphones. E-commerce apps were also widely used, with 75% of respondents reporting using shopping apps, with Amazon being the most popular, followed by eBay and AliExpress. Our interviews with the survey respondents revealed that app usage was influenced by convenience, personal preferences, and peer recommendations. Many respondents reported that they used apps to stay connected with their friends and family, stay informed about news and events, and for entertainment purposes.

E-commerce apps were also widely used, with 75% of respondents reporting using shopping apps, with Amazon being the most popular, followed by eBay and AliExpress. Our interviews with the survey respondents revealed that app usage was influenced by convenience, personal preferences, and peer recommendations. Many respondents reported that they used apps to stay connected with their friends and family, stay informed about news and events, and for entertainment purposes.

Our interviews with the survey respondents revealed that app usage was influenced by convenience, personal preferences, and peer recommendations. Many respondents reported that they used apps to stay connected with their friends and family, stay informed about news and events, and for entertainment purposes.


Conclusions

Our survey and interviews with smartphone users revealed that social media, messaging, entertainment, and e-commerce apps were the most commonly used and preferred apps. These findings can be used by mobile app developers to inform the development of future apps that cater to these preferences and trends in app usage. The convenience of the apps, personal preferences, and peer recommendations were important factors in influencing app usage among consumers.


Highlights / Excerpt from the research


Question

What are the Top 5 apps do you use most often on your smartphone?


Summary

The survey asked respondents about the top 5 apps they use most often on their smartphones. The responses varied widely, but some of the most commonly mentioned apps were Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Gmail, YouTube, and various banking and money transfer apps such as Cash App and PayPal. Some respondents also mentioned gaming apps, news apps, and survey apps.


Overall Themes (Associated sentiments)


Social media 60%
Video Streaming 60%
Entertainment 17%
Health 17%
Shopping 13%

“Given in terms of prioritisation order”

Reels


My top five are Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Social media

I most often use Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Amazon, and Netflix.

Video Streaming
Shopping
Entertainment
Notes
Positive Sentiment
Negative Sentiment
Neutral Sentiment
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