Pakistanis spent a record 79.1 billion hours on mobile applications over the past year — a 14.1% increase from the previous year — highlighting the growing role of smartphones in everyday life. The surge reflects how mobile technology continues to dominate communication, entertainment, and commerce across the country.
According to a new report, the average mobile data usage per user reached 8.4 gigabytes per month, while total broadband consumption soared beyond 13,000 petabytes. This surge came from an expanding base of 134.8 billion mobile broadband subscriptions, showing strong nationwide engagement with digital services.
Despite this impressive growth in usage, the pace of app development within Pakistan saw a notable decline. The number of active developers dropped by 26% to just 1,400 in 2024, while Android app releases fell sharply by 55% to 1,700. In total, 2,500 new apps were launched during the year — including 1,053 games and 784 iOS applications — suggesting that while user activity continues to expand, local app creation has slowed.
TikTok and CapCut Dominate the Charts
Among the most popular applications, TikTok led Pakistan’s download rankings with an astonishing 32.4 million installs. It was followed by video editing app CapCut with 27.1 million, Facebook with 24.3 million, and WhatsApp with 22.7 million downloads. WhatsApp Business also saw strong traction among entrepreneurs and small businesses, amassing 20.9 million installs.
In the streaming category, Tamasha emerged as Pakistan’s most downloaded entertainment app with 10.2 million installs, outperforming global giants Netflix (3.7 million) and Tapmad (2.5 million).
Pakistan Leads in Regional Growth
Regionally, Pakistan recorded one of the fastest growth rates in app downloads, surpassing Indonesia (8.6%), the Philippines (1.2%), and Mexico (1.2%). In contrast, countries like Vietnam and Egypt experienced declines of 13.6% and 1.7%, respectively.
Global Trends Show AI and Ad Spending on the Rise
On the global front, mobile usage continued its upward trajectory with a total of 136 billion app downloads, 4.2 trillion hours spent on mobile devices, and $195 million in mobile advertising expenditure.
In-app purchases generated an impressive $150 billion worldwide, signaling strong consumer spending within digital ecosystems. Artificial intelligence (AI) apps also surged in popularity, reaching 1.49 billion downloads and generating $1.27 billion in revenue.
A Growing Market, but a Slowing Creator Base
Experts say the data paints a mixed picture: while Pakistan’s digital consumption continues to accelerate, its app creation ecosystem faces challenges. The sharp drop in active developers and new releases suggests barriers in funding, skill development, or monetization opportunities for local creators.
Nonetheless, Pakistan’s expanding digital user base presents significant opportunities for tech innovators and investors. With the country’s youth-driven population and increasing internet accessibility, the potential for digital entrepreneurship remains vast — if local talent can be empowered to match the rising global momentum.
