The market for sports applications in Italy

Sports apps can be defined as applications that can be downloaded to any mobile device (e.g., smartphones or tablets) that are directed toward the well-being and fitness of users. The market for sports apps can be distinguished into different sub-segments depending on the activities and/or tools provided - e.g., tracking apps, workout apps.

The market is relatively young, as it appeared only with the emergence of the first smartphones and app developers-so it is less than a decade old-but since then it has grown exponentially. Globally, increased use of mobile devices and growing health awareness are becoming driving forces. The market is expected to grow by nearly 50 percent per year over the next four years.

The Italian sports app market is following the booming trend, but it still remains quite distant from the growth trends shown globally or in Europe. Demand is growing, especially for specific population clusters-for example, Millennials, women, and Generation Z-in fact, in 2019 sports app usage was found to be around 40 percent, 28 percent, and 27 percent, respectively. The changing landscape in 2020, however, saw an increase in sports app downloads among women of +40%. However, sports apps face a notable threat identified in their traditional alternative, or sometimes complement: outdoor and indoor gyms, which continue to capture the interest and resulting market share of most "sporty" Italians. The Italian landscape for mobile sports apps is highly fragmented counting a number of small international players, multinationals and recently also a growing number of domestic startups.