Apps are not suitable for every brand and service and new forecasts from Gartner drive that point home. Based on their predictions, only .01% of apps will be considered financially successful by their developers by 2018. While that is a subjective value, it is clear that most apps are not breadwinners, failing to attract an audience for advertising and unlikely to spark in-app purchase. In fact, Gartner is also forecasting that 94.5% of downloads will be free in 2017, further driving that point home.
A brand may not necessarily develop an app to generate new revenue streams as they seek engagement and awareness. That said, branded apps still need to provide utility or at the very least entertainment. More importantly, they must sustain engagement ruling out the possibility for campaign-specific apps.
