A fitness app is a health or fitness-related application that can be downloaded on smart devices such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets. It may be accessible on various platforms, including Android and iOS (iOS). According to the online public health resource, more than 97,000 fitness and health apps are available on tablets and mobile devices (Health Works Collective). In addition, approximately 15% of smartphone users between 18 and 29 have installed health apps, and 52% access health-related information via their devices. Numerous fitness apps are available, including care management, vital sign monitoring, health and wellness, women's health, medication management, and consulting apps.
Fitness apps can use artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technologies to provide users with personalized workout plans. These apps provide step tracking, personalized diet charts, monitoring, and equipment-free fitness programs. These advantages have increased the market's growth potential. MyFitnessPal users, for instance, can track their diet and activity in a personalized manner. The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread lockdowns and social segregation laws, shifting from conventional fitness studios to virtual fitness. Thus, the quantity of downloaded and utilized fitness applications has increased.
Massive smartphone penetration to drive the market
As many people use smartphones, the popularity of various fitness applications is growing. In addition to network infrastructure upgrades and coverage expansions, network infrastructure upgrades and coverage expansions are boosting the demand for fitness applications. Mobile network operators see mHealth as a lucrative investment opportunity due to the rising popularity of smartphones and interest in fitness. The number of fitness applications is anticipated to increase proportionally to the smartphone adoption rate. The enhancement of live sessions through smartphone technology is also anticipated to expand the market. Due to their large storage capacity, portability, and user-friendliness, smartphones are the best option for monitoring and activity tracking services. The market demand for smartphones is fueled by increasing affordability and decreasing hardware costs. Due to the high mobile phone penetration in low-income countries, fitness apps are adopted more rapidly there than in high-income countries.
Rising adoption of Obesity-related apps
People are now more aware of and concerned about obesity, which has resulted in the adoption of numerous weight-reduction strategies. As a result, individuals are increasingly using fitness apps to track their progress toward their health objectives. These applications provide users with various exercises, functions to calculate the number of calories burned, and tracking tools for their workout activities. Most fitness apps are designed to assist users in losing weight, which is expected to generate significant growth opportunities for market participants over the forecast period.
Increasing investments in Fitness apps is a new opportunity
People of all ages are likely to utilize fitness applications for various purposes. For example, adults aged 18 to 64 are more likely to utilize fitness apps for physical activity and weight loss than seniors, who are more likely to use them for diet and nutrition. Due to the efficacy and popularity of fitness apps, there has been an increase in investment in the industry. In addition, contemporary technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality have revolutionized the fitness industry. Rather than going to gyms and fitness centres, people now exercise at home to maintain their health and fitness. Modern fitness applications include weight training, yoga, Zumba, aerobics, and meditation. The increasing acceptance and popularity of fitness apps is a significant factor driving investment in the fitness app market.
Region-wise, the market has been segmented across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The majority of revenue came from North America. The adoption of fitness apps in North America is fueled by several factors, including the quick increase in smartphone usage, expansion of coverage networks, chronic disease prevalence, rise in geriatric population, and COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the rising use of smartphones, smart wearables, and mHealth services, Asia Pacific is expected to be the most profitable regional market during the forecast period.
The major players in the Global Fitness App Market are: