In Italy, the app market for smartphones and tablets is worth 25,4 billion euros a year, equal to 1,6% of GDP. A small treasure that will reach 2016 billion in 40, or 2,5% of gross domestic product. The estimate is contained in a research by the ICT Observatories of the Milan Polytechnic, which speaks of a virtuous circle generated by the mobile sector.
“Demand has created innumerable opportunities for companies to manage the relationship with their consumers via mobile and to automate and make their business processes more efficient – says Andrea Rangone, ICT Observatory Coordinator of the Milan Polytechnic -. A new portion of the economy is therefore developing which we call the Mobile & App Economy. This market is destined to grow thanks above all to the drive generated by the growing use of Mobile Commerce and Mobile Payment solutions”.
The survey by the Milan Polytechnic also describes the habits of "mobile surfers": one out of three users who surf with a mobile device has downloaded paid apps onto their smartphone, while one out of five has purchased at least one product or service, four out of five interact with advertising from mobile devices and one out of two would also like to use them as a payment instrument instead of a credit card.
“In this scenario, an important role will be played by startups – reads the research – capable both of creating new business models aimed directly at the final consumer, and of supporting companies in their digital and mobile transformation process. Over 2013 were funded internationally in 600”.
