Summary
According to Sensor Tower, the top 10 most-downloaded iPhone apps in the US in May 2021 were 298% larger than five years ago, requiring 2.2 GB of storage. Gmail saw the greatest increase at 1,797%, while Facebook's Messenger remained the most lightweight. The top 10 iPhone games grew 197% to 7.6 GB.
Apple's larger storage options and expanded app size limits facilitated this growth. Developers adopt strategies of consolidation (e.g., Gmail integrating Meet and Chat) or condensing (e.g., Facebook trimming Messenger for older devices). iOS 14 and 15 introduced widgets and App Clips to reduce full app downloads, offering new ways to manage size and user experience.
You Might Also Like
AppsFlyerApple’s iOS 14 App Clips: A definitive guide for developers by AppsFlyer
App Clips are lightweight iOS app extensions under 15MB for instant actions like ordering or paying without full installation. They reduce friction, use QR/NFC triggers, and support Apple Pay and Sign in with Apple.
AppsFlyerMobile measurement & marketing analytics for Shopping apps – The complete guide
Mobile shopping apps drive 3x higher conversion than mobile web. Granular measurement, deep linking, fraud protection, and re-engagement are key. Personalization and privacy compliance balance is crucial for success.
AppsFlyerInside SKAN: Data & learnings from Apple’s SKAdNetwork
SKAdNetwork reveals advertiser-publisher connections, showing Social and Gaming apps drive 92% of paid installs. Privacy thresholds cause conversion value nulls, impacting optimization. Advertisers must adapt campaign structures to overcome NOI decline and leverage limited data for LTV predictions.
AppsFlyerCHAPTER 1. Intro to ROX – and how it links to premium customer experience
ROX measures financial impact of customer experiences on campaigns, focusing on contextualized, personalized, and frictionless CX to boost engagement and LTV.
AppsFlyerThe consumer mobile landscape in the Nordics
The Nordics have high mobile usage, with increased app installs during the pandemic. Women dominate mobile gaming but men spend more. Poor UX and privacy concerns remain, though users welcome iOS 14 changes. Marketers should measure, invest in mobile, prioritize UX, and build trust.
MetaApple’s iOS 14 Changes Are Almost Here: How to Finish Preparing and What’s Changing
Facebook changes due to iOS 14.5 include restricted measurement, limited campaigns (9 per app, 8 web events per domain), and need for SDK updates. Advertisers must act to avoid disruption.
SensorTowerU.S. Consumers Used an Average of 46 Apps Each Month in the First Half of 2021
U.S. smartphone users average 46 apps monthly in H1 2021, near pre-pandemic levels. Business, Medical, and Finance apps see growth. Mobile games share drops to 33% in June 2021 from 36% in 2019.
AdjustThe 4R framework for understanding deep linking | Adjust
Karthik Kannan distills deep linking into a practical 4R framework: Remember, Reach, Retrieve, Route. For ad ops teams, the key insight is that campaign context must survive the click-to-app journey. Adjust TrueLink captures link parameters on click; the user is then guided into the app via Universal Links, Android App Links, URI schemes, app stores, or web-to-app flows. On SDK init, the app session is matched and attributed to the click, then link data is passed to the app for routing. Decision-makers should ensure deep link paths, campaign parameters, attribution matching, and fallback journeys are tested to protect measurement and user experience.
More from SensorTower
Home Improvement Built Momentum on Retail Media
Home improvement retail media broke seasonal norms as July impressions rose 110% YoY to 1.1B, driven by Paint brands Beh...
State of Digital Advertising 2026: How AI Integration and Streaming Growth Reframe Marketing Strategies
US digital ad spend hit $201B (+15% YoY) with 19T impressions (+7%). Facebook remains the top US ad channel at $42.9B; S...
Top 10 Worldwide Mobile Games By Revenue and Downloads in August 2026
August mobile gaming saw stable revenue at $6.57B and downloads at 3.76B. Honor of Kings led revenue through major event...
Japan Gaming 2026: The Games, Strategies, and IP Defining a Global Powerhouse
Japan's mobile gaming market remains a revenue powerhouse, generating over $10B in IAPs in the past year despite a sligh...
Hair Care Brands Styled Different Retail Media Strategies
The Hair Care retail media landscape is highly fragmented: no brand holds more than 12% of category impressions, and 248...
Retail Media Report 2026: Impressions, Market Share, & More
US retail media impressions fell 17% in H1 '26, yet specialized home improvement networks grew sharply (Lowe's +151%, Ho...