Be front and center: Drive app downloads this holiday shopping season with Aura

The period between Black Friday and the holidays is not just a frenzy of purchases; it's a golden opportunity for app marketers to reach high-quality users. This period, also known as the shopping season, is the time of year when users are focused on making purchases, whether it’s upgrading their own tech or buying gifts for others. For app marketers, it’s a goldmine.Here’s why the shopping season matters:- More devices: The shopping season is also peak time for smartphone sales. Millions of phones are purchased, unboxed, and activated.- More buyers: Consumer spending soars during this period, and buyers are highly intentional. This means they’re ready to invest in new experiences, including apps and in-app purchases. In fact, in-app purchases accounted for 54.5% of all online revenue during the 2024 holiday season, delivering $131.5 billion in spend.*- More attention: In 2024, Q4 digital ad spend hit $34 billion with impressions reaching a staggering 3.8 trillion.** This means users are tuned in, making this the perfect time to capture their attention.A surge in new high-end devicesSmartphones are the ultimate holiday gift, with millions unboxed and activated during this busy shopping season. Shoppers tend to choose high-end devices, and these users are eager to download apps that enhance their experience, actively searching for tools to make the most of their new phones for years to come.Early downloads lead to long-term loyalty95% of users download 60%+ of their apps within the first 48 hours of activation.*** This means the moment a user powers on their new phone, a critical engagement window opens. During this time, users are most likely to download the apps that will become permanent fixtures on their devices. The potential becomes even more powerful once you consider that the average user keeps their phone for 3.6 years.****As a result, securing a download during this window gives your app the potential to remain on the device for the entire lifespan of the phone, which is a tremendous opportunity.There are several reasons why apps downloaded early tend to stick around:- Apps downloaded right after activation often become part of a user’s daily habits.- These apps feel familiar and trusted simply because they have been on the device from the beginning, making users less likely to uninstall them.- Early downloads secure a spot on the home screen or in the initial app layout, giving them a visibility advantage over apps downloaded later.Being one of the first apps downloaded positions your app as a core part of the user’s digital experience, which increases the likelihood that it will remain on the device for years to come. Win the shopping season with AuraHow do you ensure your app is front and center during this high-stakes period? That’s where Aura comes in. Aura’s on-device solution integrates your app into the device’s native UI. This allows you to:Be the first app users seeAura ensures your app is suggested as part of the onboarding experience when users activate their new phones. This secures visibility during the critical 48-hour window when users are most likely to download apps.Reach users throughout the device lifecycleAura aligns your app with the moments that matter most in the device lifecycle, like unboxing, OS updates, and holidays. By being part of these moments, your app becomes a natural choice for users.Build long-term loyaltyBy being one of the first apps on a user’s device, you build a strong foundation for user loyalty for the full 3.6 year lifespan of the device. Unbox your app’s potentialThe shopping season is a time for unboxing opportunities. With millions of new devices being activated, the stakes are high. But with Aura, you can ensure your app is part of this moment, maximizing visibility, engagement, and loyalty. Don’t miss out on the most critical window of the year.Ready to make your app the first choice for new users? Learn more about Aura.*Source: 2024 holiday shopping report (2024), Adobe**Source Q4 2024 Digital Market Index, Sensor Tower, February 2025 ***Source: Aura from Unity, June 2023 to June 2024. Disclaimer: This statistic is based on Android device data only. ****Source: How often do people upgrade their phone?, SellCell, November 22, 2023