2025 APAC app-economy trends highlight AI, short-drama rise, and third-party Android stores
Mintegral released new 2025 data showing three key shifts driving mobile growth: the rise of AI-powered apps, the global spread of short-form drama, and the expansion of third-party Android stores as new growth channels.
AI apps have moved beyond novelty and become a daily habit. In 2024, consumer AI apps hit 1.5 billion downloads and US$1.3 billion in revenue. AI chatbots led with 119% growth, while AI art generators followed at 21%. Sixteen generative-AI apps earned over US$10 million each, and 25 apps exceeded 10 million downloads. Developers focusing on real-world problems like productivity, finance, and community engagement are gaining traction. Advertisers are now targeting high-conversion audiences ready to pay for value.
Short-form drama is also booming. Apps featuring quick, episodic video stories grew by 50–200% quarter-on-quarter since late 2023. Most use ad-supported models, while subscriptions and token systems make up a smaller share. Indonesia leads global downloads at 39%, followed by Brazil, the Philippines, and Thailand. The trend shows how APAC-born entertainment is shaping global content habits.
Mintegral data also shows that third-party Android stores such as Xiaomi, Amazon, Samsung, Oppo, and Huawei are becoming cost-efficient marketing channels. These stores offer lower CPI and faster scaling than major app stores. In some cases, advertisers achieved US$0.26–0.42 per install and up to 5,000 daily installs.
Mintegral urges advertisers to adopt ROAS-based bidding, use creative automation tools, and diversify across third-party app stores to reach new users efficiently.
The company powers over 100,000 apps, processing 300 billion ad requests and 1.2 billion daily impressions across gaming, utilities, entertainment, and finance.
