App Category Insights

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, U.S. states issued restrictions on social gatherings, forcing houses of worship across the country to shut down. Religious leaders adapted to these restrictions by bringing worship services and rituals online. As a result, mobile apps and streaming platforms became the primary point of connection for many congregations. In this report, we examine how the pandemic has disrupted the way Americans practice their faith on mobile.

With the first Valentine's Day during COVID-19 in the books, we analyzed how Americans used mobile applications this year to celebrate their relationships. In this report, we reveal the top behavioral shifts on Valentine’s Day by analyzing the app categories that saw the largest growth in usage.

Christmas and New Year celebrations were dim this year. The resurgence of Coronavirus cases along with travel restrictions and new curfews crushed many Americans’ plans to celebrate the holidays in-person with family and friends. In this report, we look at the remarkable spike in holiday mobile app messaging as many Americans turned to virtual celebrations to cope with restrictions on holiday gatherings.

Black Friday is a crucial event for retailers, kicking off the holiday shopping season. According to a recent Google report, however, the pandemic has reduced U.S. retail foot traffic by 20% since May. Additionally, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that growth in consumer spending has been slowing each month since July. These trends paint a grim outlook for battered retailers who were hoping for a strong Black Friday rebound. In this report, we examine how COVID-19 impacted both mobile and in-store Black Friday shopping.

The spread of Coronavirus in the U.S. has not only threatened the economy, but also the American educational system. After the summer break, all but four states implemented either hybrid or remote learning models. With some parents working or taking care of siblings, among other factors, would students engage academically? In this report, Flurry measures academic engagement by looking at one of the most common activities that directly competes with classroom and study time —playing mobile games on smartphones.

While 2020 has featured some of the biggest events in modern history —a global pandemic, an impeached U.S. President, widespread protests over severe social injustice, and a wildly volatile economy— 83% of Americans believe that who wins the presidency, according to Pew Research, matters more now than it has over the past two decades. In this report, we look at the massive spike in news consumption driven by this year’s U.S. Presidential election.

Mobile game usage in the U.S. has increased substantially during COVID-19. In a previous report, we showed that mobile game sessions surged by 21% after stay-at-home orders took hold, on weekdays no less! In other words, as people began to work and attend school from home, they also reached for their phones more often to game. In this follow-on installment, we look at what time of the day people are gaming during the week, and the results are surprising.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, borders closed around the world and Americans spent months under lockdown. As Summer approached, stay-at-home orders were lifted and many hotels reopened. However, travel destinations and activities remained limited. As a result, COVID-19 crushed many travelers’ Summer plans. In this report, we look at how American summer vacation behavior dramatically shifted between 2019 and 2020 due to Coronavirus.

The Retail category in the United States has been among the hardest hit during COVID-19. This stands to reason as non-essential businesses were forced to close and consumers sheltered at home. In this report, we look at how in-store shopping behavior has been disrupted over the course of 2020.