Amanda Siddharta
Research expert covering Malaysia
Mobile apps in Malaysia - statistics & facts
The convenience of modern everyday life lies within the swipe of a finger. From communicating through social media apps, ordering food via delivery apps, or creating new connections with dating apps, 98.4 percent of consumers in Malaysia who use smartphones have access to various mobile apps. Because of the practicality and multifunctionality, Malaysians spent nearly 640 million U.S. dollars on mobile apps and in-app purchases in 2023. This has made Malaysia one of the most lucrative markets for mobile apps in Southeast Asia.
As of 2023, two major mobile service provider companies dominate the mobile internet landscape in the country, Maxis and CelcomDigi. The latter was formed after a successful merger between two other mobile carrier giants in November 2022, Celcom and Digi.
While Facebook and Instagram are still popular in the country, the newly emerging social media platform that is widely used among Gen Z consumers, TikTok, has started to overtake the platforms owned by Meta. In 2023, the TikTok app was downloaded around one million times per month by Malaysians. Meanwhile, Telegram and WhatsApp are the leading messenger apps in the country.
People’s fast-paced lives also encourage the popularity of super apps like Grab. Consumers can easily access the app to perform different tasks, including delivering food and hailing rides. With the increased reliance on different apps to perform daily routines, the mobile apps market in Malaysia will likely continue to grow.
Popularity of mobile internet
Innovative and user-friendly technologies nicely packaged in the latest model from well-known manufacturers like Apple or Samsung have made smartphones the primary portable device for Malaysian consumers to access the internet. Meanwhile, the number of mobile internet users in Malaysia is estimated to surpass more than 32 million people by 2024. Malaysia’s advanced infrastructure has also allowed ease of mobile connection due to the high coverage of the 4G LTE network, which means Malaysian consumers can access and use their mobile apps nearly everywhere and at any given time.As of 2023, two major mobile service provider companies dominate the mobile internet landscape in the country, Maxis and CelcomDigi. The latter was formed after a successful merger between two other mobile carrier giants in November 2022, Celcom and Digi.
Mobile apps for daily routines
According to a 2021 survey, social media and messaging apps were the main mobile phone apps that consumers in Malaysia used on a daily basis. Although all restrictions have been lifted, the two-year pandemic has increased the tendency for people to communicate online instead of in person.While Facebook and Instagram are still popular in the country, the newly emerging social media platform that is widely used among Gen Z consumers, TikTok, has started to overtake the platforms owned by Meta. In 2023, the TikTok app was downloaded around one million times per month by Malaysians. Meanwhile, Telegram and WhatsApp are the leading messenger apps in the country.
People’s fast-paced lives also encourage the popularity of super apps like Grab. Consumers can easily access the app to perform different tasks, including delivering food and hailing rides. With the increased reliance on different apps to perform daily routines, the mobile apps market in Malaysia will likely continue to grow.
