Sensor Tower Predictions Include 5 Million Apps by 2020

Feature Image Credit: Sensor Tower

ASO tool company Sensor Tower predicted in a recent study that the App Store will be home to more than 5 million apps by 2020, with the estimated number of apps added in 2016 (+1.18 million) pegged at 67% growth over 2015 (1.75 apps total). The report also breaks down the number of apps being added each month, with games at the top (21k), followed by education next (2.5k), then entertainment (2.4k) and lastly weather (134).

The challenge with so many apps is of course discovery. Apple has already put forth some effort to improve discoverability, from indexing apps in spotlight search to planning future app store improvements such as the For You tab. Yet Sensor Tower comments that Apple will need to overhaul the App Store sooner than later, and may push further into machine learning and bots as part of the solution.

One other big problem that is likely to get worse in the face of a continued explosion of apps is the number of "zombie apps" on the app store, or apps that are not seen by users on top charts and only appear when directly linked to or via certain keyword searches. The App Store provides great visibility for apps at the top percentiles, yet for the majority of apps, the light of success in the App Store is more like starting longingly at the canopy tops from the jungle floor. If Apple (or a 3rd party for that matter) can solve the issue of visibility while still taking care of its top revenue generators, it will be a big coup.

The Bottom Line: In order to support millions more apps in the App Store by 2020, Apple will need to invest in significant improvements to its discovery infrastructure and also address the issue of so-called "zombie apps."

Original Source: Sensor Tower Blog