In collaboration with On Device Research, ArabNet has launched one of the most comprehensive mobile application behavior reports highlighting that over 53% of Saudi smartphone users have paid for apps, and that the majority prefer a single upfront payment.

With Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading the region and the world in mobile Internet penetration, opportunities for investments are rising.

Omar Christidis, CEO of ArabNet, sheds light on the region’s promising digital future: “We are seeing more data that confirms the rapidly growing appetite among Arab consumers for mobile applications and content.”

Christidis added, “The report gives developers and agencies in the industry key actionable insights on the market. For example, beyond social media, music and games, the top app categories in Saudi Arabia are photography and travel.”

ArabNet will be hosting a panel on online travel and tourism, among a range of other topics including e-retail, corporate innovation and social media marketing, at the upcoming ArabNet Riyadh 2015, the fourth iteration of the largest digital gathering in the Kingdom.

ArabNet Riyadh 2015 will gather over 1,000 participants, 80 speakers and leaders, and 40 companies and exhibitors from the Kingdom, Middle East, and the world.

The new research report sheds light on the use of Arabic apps, indicating that 62% of users across the region and 81% of Saudi users download Arabic apps.

At the same time, the report identifies the key drivers of downloads, which for Saudi Arabian users is recommendations from friends. Finally, the research indicates that for the MENA smartphone users who do pay for apps, most of them spend between $1-$2.99 to pay for apps, or between $1-$4.99 for in-app purchases.

The full report, with more than 25 charts detailing insights about app consumption trends in MENA, is available to be downloaded seperately for free on intelligence.arabnet.me and in the ArabNet Quarterly No. 6.

ArabNet Riyadh 2015 will be held at the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel, Riyadh, on Dec. 14-16. Past ArabNet events have notably attracted top speakers, participants, and partners from corporations such as Zain, Facebook, DMS, Majid Al Futtaim, STC, Twitter, Starcom, Criteo, SkyNews, VISA, Deloitte, Uber, Vivaki, GE, MakerStudios (Disney), 500Startups, International New York Times, and more.

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