Australia’s most downloaded apps: Binge beats Netflix as 9Now makes list
Sensor Tower, a market intelligence company used by the likes of Nestle, Twitter, HBO, and Target, has released new data looking at how local streaming services are dominating Australia’s mobile devices as some of the most downloaded apps in Q1.
The key findings in the new survey showed government apps and the usual suspects of TikTok, Facebook and WhatsApp dominated the top most downloaded apps last quarter.
What’s most interesting though, is two Aussie streaming services, Binge and 9Now, made the top 20 list. Binge outpaced Netflix (perhaps unsurprising given their recent earnings announcement which saw a 19% decrease in users).
This is likely because of the streaming service’s $10 million investment in digital ads in Q1 2022 (based on Pathmatics) – which is more than their entire digital ad budget for 2021.
This provides a powerful reminder of the influence of ads on consumer behaviour. 9Now also made the list, proving the appetite for local content is there.
Sensor Tower regional director, Eugene Du Plessis, told Mumbrella: “Australia is one of the world’s top 10 largest mobile app markets by revenue and is off to a raring start in 2022. What’s clear to see is that the app economy has become increasingly entwined with world events and trends. For example, government apps that offer identity and vaccination verification functionality have become fixtures in our nation’s app stores amid the ongoing pandemic, as has the adoption of QR code scanning.
“As life continues to normalise, I expect to see government apps follow the same trend as entertainment and social networking apps like Disney+ and Facebook. These have seen their standings dip year-on-year as the COVID-fuelled adoption wave buoying them has gradually subsided. TikTok has successfully bucked this trend, climbing from seventh place in Q1 2021 to fourth place in Q1 2022 – a testament to its growing popularity in Australia.”
Du Plessis added: “Binge is a particularly interesting case with Pathmatics data revealing the local streaming service spent $10M on advertising in January. This correlates to the huge uptick in app downloads, demonstrating the power of digital advertising on consumer behaviour. Most of Binge’s downloads can be attributed to its sports offering – Kayo and I believe more streaming service providers will look to implement similar offerings in order to remain competitive and increase user retention.
“As Australia’s mobile economy continues to grow, look out for the apps that react to the latest trends – they’ll be the ones leading the way and setting the market in our mobile-first economy.”
Sensor Tower reveals top Aussie app downloads – 1 January 2022 – 31 March 2022
For this data to be truly interesting, it would have to show how many apps were deleted and what other key content they had at the same time. Eg Binge had ‘And Just Like That’ which would of tapped into an audience who would of been unlikely to otherwise subscribe.
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Perhaps because Foxtel started giving it away for free for 12 months? Tough one to sustain..
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