Observed Signal · Jul 29, 2025 · Market Research / Analysis · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Chinese billions fuel Germany iOS marketing
AppsFlyer’s State of Ecommerce App Marketing 2025 highlights a shift in mobile marketing budgets, with Chinese e-commerce apps accounting for around 85% of global iOS user-acquisition spend and increasingly targeting Western Europe. Germany saw iOS UA investments rise 170% year-over-year from January to May 2025, while France more than doubled. Traders cite tariffs and geopolitical uncertainties as drivers moving budgets away from the US toward new markets, and a growing emphasis on remarketing to improve retention. Globally, 2024 remarketing investments reached $16.4 billion, 3.5× more than traditional UA, with Android re-engagement rising to 77%. iOS delivers higher monetization than Android, featuring faster first purchases (1.3 days), 39% higher first-purchase rate, 68% more repeat purchases, and 10% more revenue from in-app purchases. The report also notes the increasing use of AI-powered fraud protection and a broader, year-round budget distribution strategy.
Significant insights into global iOS marketing spend shifts and Germany market opportunities.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Germany iOS user-acquisition investments up 170% YoY Jan–May 2025.
- France iOS UA investments up more than 2× YoY.
- Chinese e-commerce apps account for ~85% of global iOS UA spend.
- 2024 global remarketing spend: $16.4B, 3.5× more than traditional UA; Android re-engagement share rose to 77%.
- iOS vs Android: 1.3 days faster first purchases; 39% higher first-purchase rate; 68% more repeat purchases; 10% more revenue from in-app purchases.
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Germany's Black Friday: Fewer Apps, Higher Revenue Surge!
Appsflyer analyzed Black Friday 2025 activity in Germany, showing a shift toward more valuable engagement despite fewer installations. The dataset covers roughly 9,200 shopping apps globally, with about 1,000 apps recording conversions on Black Friday. In Germany, 121 million installs and 140 million remarketing conversions across Android and iOS were analyzed. Year-over-year, shopping installs declined 19% in Germany (Android down 28%), while conversions rose slightly by 0.3%. In-app purchase (IAP) revenue grew significantly: Android +40% and iOS +33% vs Black Friday 2024, and day-before Black Friday IAP revenue rose +36% on Android and +25% on iOS. The share of paying users increased (Android +2 percentage points; iOS +5 points). Germany’s IAP revenue rose 35% YoY, and the day-before-to-BF increase was among the strongest in Europe. Sue Azari of Appsflyer notes Germany remains an efficiency-driven market, with higher revenue and conversions despite fewer installs.
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