San Francisco, Sep 30 (IANS): The top 500 apps globally averaged a record 91.7 million monthly active users (MAU) in Q2 2021, up 8.4 per cent year-over-year.

According to the Sensor Tower's latest report, State of App Engagement 2021, since Q1 2018, top 500 apps worldwide have grown their active user base each quarter and that accelerated last year during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Q2 2020, the top apps averaged 84.6 million monthly active users, up 18 per cent Y/Y. Although Y/Y MAU growth wasn't as pronounced in 2Q21, the trend was still upward, climbing 8.4 per cent to 91.7 million.

The average MAU of the top 100 business apps climbed in 2020 and that growth has persisted into the first half of 2021, making it the fastest growing category by active users. Compared to 1Q18, the average MAU has seen a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 42 per cent.

When it came to the category level, Entertainment apps commanded the greatest amount of consumers' time in 2Q21. Users spent an average of approximately 29 minutes per day in each app among the top 100 iOS apps in the category during the study period.

As subscription video on demand (SVOD) services such as Disney+ and HBO Max expand out their offerings and platforms such as Twitch maintain increased installs and active users, the trend of increased usage and time spent in these apps may very well continue.

Thanks to the success of battle royale titles such as PUBG Mobile - including its variant Game For Peace on iOS in China - and Garena Free Fire, the top 50 games in the Shooter genre averaged 7.6 million daily active users in 2Q21. The genre also saw the third most WAU and the fourth most MAU.