"What I'm seeing today is a reorganization of the mobile economy driven by changes in consumer spending and global market dynamics, as well as the overwhelming integration of Artificial Intelligence into, well, everything. For mobile app developers, adapting to these macro trends could mean the difference between scaling your business and getting left behind. Here are three critical shifts that are redefining our industry and what they might mean for your strategy in 2026."
"One of the biggest shifts in mobile advertising is the changing of the guard in user acquisition (UA) spending. For the first time, non-gaming verticals-everything from finance and ecommerce to productivity and lifestyle apps-are claiming a meaningful share of the overall ad budget from the gaming sector. The infrastructure of performance marketing was largely built by the gaming industry, but now, others are leveraging and scaling it."
The mobile economy is reorganizing due to changes in consumer spending, global market dynamics, and the widespread integration of Artificial Intelligence. Non-gaming verticals such as finance, ecommerce, productivity, and lifestyle apps are increasing user acquisition spending and taking share from gaming. Global mobile UA ad spend excluding China reached about $65 billion in 2024, with non-gaming growth near 8% while gaming UA spend declined 7%, affecting mid-core and casino titles. Performance marketing infrastructure remains intact, but non-gaming advertisers bring greater sophistication, driving efficiency and requiring new creative and targeting strategies. Regional growth narratives are shifting toward emerging global powerhouses.
Read at App Developer Magazine
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