Smartphone users worldwide logged a total of 5.3 trillion hours on iOS and Android devices in 2025, a 3.8% increase compared to 2024, according to the State of Mobile 2026 report by Sensor Tower.
On average, each person globally spends over 600 hours online, equivalent to 3.6 hours per day, or roughly 13 minutes of every waking hour.
Social media apps accounted for nearly 2.5 trillion hours, averaging over 90 minutes per day per user, a 5% rise year-on-year, highlighting sustained engagement as overall mobile usage gradually stabilises.
Users Access 34 Apps Monthly, AI Usage Soars
The report reveals that the average mobile user interacts with 34 apps per month, up 5.4% from 2024. AI assistant apps saw explosive growth, with a 426% increase in time spent, reflecting rising demand for personalised, automated, and interactive mobile experiences.
Top 10 Countries by Mobile Time Spent in 2025
- India – 1.23 trillion hours (up from 1.13T)
- Indonesia – 414 billion hours (up from 400B)
- United States – 385 billion hours (up from 370B)
- Brazil – 301 billion hours (down from 311B)
- Russia – 200 billion hours (down from 214B)
- Mexico – 175 billion hours (up from 170B)
- Pakistan – 169 billion hours (up from 152B)
- Philippines – 153 billion hours (up from 147B)
- China Mainland – 148 billion hours (down from 164B)
- Nigeria – 129 billion hours (up from 110B)
Nigeria’s presence in the top 10 globally highlights the country’s rising mobile engagement and the growing role of digital platforms in everyday life.
Top Apps Driving User Engagement
Global mobile app downloads totalled 149 billion, a 0.8% year-on-year increase, with engagement spread across multiple categories. Apps showing the highest growth in time spent included:
- ChatGPT – 426%
- WhatsApp Business – 14%
- Google Pay – 13%
- POCO Launcher 2.0 – 11%
- Clock – 9%
- Google Photos – 8%
- Google Maps – 6%
- TikTok – 5%
- Spotify – 5%
- Santander – 5%
AI-driven and creative apps such as ChatGPT, ReelShort, and CapCut showed strong engagement, reflecting growing demand for productivity and content creation tools.
Top 10 Markets by In-App Purchase Revenue
Global in-app purchase (IAP) revenue reached $167 billion in 2025, a 10.6% increase year-on-year, as mobile publishers capitalise on loyal user bases. The leading markets for mobile monetisation were:
- United States – $59B (up from $54.8B)
- China Mainland (iOS only) – $22.1B (up from $21.1B)
- Japan – $16.8B (unchanged)
- South Korea – $7.19B (up from $6.75B)
- United Kingdom – $6.38B (up from $5.31B)
- Germany – $6.02B (up from $5.02B)
- France – ~$3.9B (up from $3.0B)
- Canada – $3.98B (up from $3.11B)
- Taiwan – $3.44B (up from $3.07B)
- Australia – $3.26B (up from $2.91B)
The report highlights how mobile monetisation is accelerating even as overall time spent on devices begins to plateau.
Key Takeaways
- The average global user spends 3.6 hours daily on mobile devices.
- Social media apps remain the most engaging category.
- AI assistants are the fastest-growing subcategory, signalling a shift toward personalised, interactive experiences.
- Nigeria ranks 10th globally for mobile engagement.
- In-app purchases continue to grow, driven by premium content and subscriptions.
