What is an application?

An application (more commonly known as an app) is software that bundles together certain features in a way that is accessible to a user. There are millions of apps on both the App Store and Android app stores, offering services (or verticals). 

Apps are generally accessible on a wide range of digital devices, but we most often think of them on mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers. In the modern world, apps play a key role in communication, productivity, entertainment, and even complex business operations. The broad range of functionalities offered by apps spans everything from social media and gaming to fitness tracking and online shopping, helping users accomplish various goals efficiently.

Apps are the foundation of the mobile economy. Since the arrival of the iPhone in 2007 and the App Store in 2008, apps have become the principal way users have tapped into the smartphone revolution. Applications have helped create a number of multi-billion dollar industries. For example, mobile games now generate over US$75bn in revenue per year, while apps from social media companies such as Meta massively contribute to their multi-billion dollar revenues each quarter.

This huge rise in popularity has had a knock-on effect for advertisers. Their widespread use has made it increasingly important for companies to use mobile as a key advertising channel. Whether companies are generating business through apps or advertising on mobile devices, applications have made mobile advertising a valuable industry on a global scale.

Mobile applications are also important due to their versatility. The most popular app categories we talk about are:

• Business: This vertical includes job apps and  apps for businesses, e.g. Stepstone or Yelp for business owners.
• Education: Apps that provide or aid in creating learning experiences, e.g. DuoLingo or Age of Learning.
• Entertainment: Anything with the primary goal of entertainment other than games, from movies, to streaming, and podcasts, e.g. Spotify or YouTube.
• Finance: Apps including banking, payment, crypto, stock trading, and loans, e.g. PayPal and  ING mobile.
• Food and drink: From food delivery to recipe apps and wine guides, e.g. Uber Eats and DoorDash.
• Games: There are a huge range of mobile gaming apps and subgenres/sub-categories, including role playing games, hyper casuals, puzzle, and simulation, e.g. PokémonGo, PUBG, and Candy Crush Saga.
• Health and fitness: These can be medical, related to nutrition, sleep, sport, classes, meditation and wellbeing, exercise, and more e.g. Headspace and Sleep Cycle.
• Lifestyle: This category covers a large range of apps, including horoscopes, real estate, special interest topics, and much more, e.g. Co-Star and Plant.id.
• Photo and video: Apps related to the creation, storage, editing, or organization of photos and videos, e.g. VSCO and BeautyPlus.
• Publications: Everything from news and magazines to comic books, web toons, and content aggregators, e.g. The Guardian and The New York Times: Live News.
• Shopping: Apps that enable the purchasing of consumer goods or enhance purchasing experience on and offline across e-commerce, marketplace & classifieds, deal discovery, and coupons, e.g. Amazon and Sephora.
• Social: Apps within the Social vertical are those with the primary purpose of ‘connecting’ people, via text, video, voice, or photos/images. It also includes apps that connect and engage communities, e.g. Instagram and TikTok.
• Travel: Apps are categorized within the Travel vertical if they relate to the process of traveling, planning, tracking, or booking. It also includes ride sharing and hailing and maps and navigation, e.g. AirBnB and Uber.
• Utilities: This is a big category that includes any app with the primary purpose of assisting with a task, helping solve a problem, or providing productivity services. It also includes VPNs, browsers, and online accounts, e.g. PDF Reader and Google Chrome.

App stores, like the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, organize mobile apps into their own categories to facilitate user navigation and discovery. These are similar, but do differ, making it important for developers and marketers when selecting the primary category for each environment. The key factor to keep in mind is discoverability and search from the user perspective.

Apps come in several forms, each serving unique purposes across different devices.

Native apps: These apps are downloadable software developed specifically for a certain operating system, like iOS or Android. An example of a native app would be the Apple Health app, which is built specifically for iOS and integrated with Apple’s system features, providing a smooth user experience. Native apps are usually available to download from app stores like Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store.

Web apps: These are accessed through a browser and often resemble the interface of mobile applications but are not actually stored on your device. They offer the convenience of being available on any internet-connected device without taking up storage space.

Web app examples include Google Docs, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Netflix. The simplest distinction between a website vs. a web app lies in their level of detail: A website is more static, and a web app is more dynamic. However, the comparison below provides more detailed distinctions.

Mobile apps: These days, when we think of apps, we think of our phone. However, mobile apps encompass both smartphones and tablets. Due to their accessibility, mobile phone apps often function as a core part of our daily activities.

Computer apps: Apps are also available on desktop computers and laptops. While mobile apps are optimized for touchscreen interfaces and small-screen usage, computer apps often have more powerful capabilities. When we think of these apps, we often think of browser apps, communication apps like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, productivity apps like Excel, and software apps like Photoshop.

Cross-platform apps: Developed to function across different platforms and devices, cross-platform apps are increasingly popular among developers as they allow one app to be used on iOS, Android, and sometimes even desktops.

CTV apps: Connected TV (CTV) apps are the apps you see on your smart TV. They can also be accessible via other CTV devices such as gaming consoles and devices like Roku or Amazon Fire TV. While we often think of content streaming apps, like Netflix or YouTube, there are an increasing number of gaming apps on CTV, as well as apps across other categories. For example, you can now access the Peloton app via CTV to complete workouts on the big screen without having to cast from your phone. Or, you can shop QVC from your Apple TV. CTV apps offer immersive, big-screen experiences that are optimized for remote control navigation.

If you want to drive growth and increase the lifetime value (LTV) of your users, you’re going to need to accurately measure the performance of your advertising spend. The rise in sophistication and competition has meant that it’s important for both businesses and marketers to understand the performance of their apps. In a highly competitive space in which marketing costs quickly rise, and where there are potentially thousands of competitors, getting accurate intelligence about how an app performs makes a huge difference.

Adjust serves as the one-stop performance measurement shop for app developers, marketers, and other app stakeholders. As a leading mobile measurement partner (MMP), we provide solutions to measure, analyze, and optimize an app’s performance—and we’re currently trusted by 165,000+ apps worldwide. 

At the core of our functionality is attribution, the process of figuring out what led a user to take a specific action, like downloading an app or making a purchase. In essence, we provide data about what drives an app’s installs, in-app purchases, and long-term user engagement. With accurate, actionable insights across channels, platforms, and devices, apps can make informed, strategic decisions. 

Adjust is at the forefront of mobile marketing measurement, providing innovative solutions that meet the evolving demands of app marketers. In short, we offer accurate, cross-channel measurement, time-saving automation, robust fraud prevention, deep audience insights, seamless integrations, and AI-driven, next generation measurement solutions like incrementality, media mix modeling, and predictive analytics. 

Let our experts simplify mobile app success for you. Schedule a bespoke demo today and discover how Adjust can help your app grow with tailored solutions.