The global market for mobile apps – including games and other services – is expected to reach US$750 billion by 2030, with Asia leading the way, according to Google.
From Japanese apps like Pokemon Go to massively multiplayer games in South Korea, Google highlighted a variety of strengths in the region, especially in emerging markets, at a time of declining revenues in developed countries. The company said that in-app purchases in emerging markets grew by 5% at an annual rate in the first three quarters of the year, while they shrank by 3% in developed markets such as the United States, where Google and Apple faced court rulings forcing them to allow downloads outside their official stores.
Vietnam is one of the highlights of Asia. Mark Wu, Google’s general manager in Vietnam, said last week that the country, home to global hits such as Axie Infinity and Flappy Bird, led app revenue growth in the region. Revenue rose 65% at an annual rate in the first three quarters of 2025.
Woo participated in the Google Apps Summit in Ho Chi Minh City, an event that brought together more than 700 developers from November 11-12. In response to a question from Nikkei Asia, the technology giant told reporters that it does not pressure programmers to prioritize Android smartphones over iPhones.
“By no means are we saying one or the other will be developed,” said Aditya Swamy, managing director of Google Play. “We encourage developers to design for all devices because this way they reach as many users as possible and gain different insights into their behavior.”
He added that developers may choose to focus on just one operating system in more “homogeneous” markets, while emerging markets tend to be more fragmented. For example, the iPhone dominates in Japan, according to Statista, while Samsung and Xiaomi are more popular in Vietnam, according to Counterpoint.
According to Google, Vietnamese developers produced apps totaling 6 billion downloads in 2024, of which 5.7 billion were downloaded abroad. This has generated 2 trillion dong ($75.9 million) in international revenue through Google Play, contributing to 490,000 direct, indirect and derivative jobs – including manufacturing – according to the company. Google’s Pixel smartphone is also produced in Vietnam.
While big tech companies have historically resisted opening offices or data centers in the country — where a one-party state often requires them to block content or share user data — Google opened its first office in Vietnam last year.
Woo stated that Vietnam’s strength, home of Unicorn VNG games, lies in creating casual and puzzle apps, while China stands out in producing big movies and Indonesia offers innovations like NetShort, a vertical TV app.
Artificial intelligence was also one of the main topics at the event, as developers explored Google booths showing how to extend games to YouTube or use AI in photo editing.
According to Swamy, 90% of the world’s app developers are already using AI, whether to write code or create marketing materials. He also recommended companies focus on Generation Z, which is expected to become the most valuable user group by 2030.
While games have historically led in-app purchases, non-gaming apps, such as fitness or video apps, have recently overtaken this category, according to Google. The company said Vietnam is moving away from casual, ad-driven games and toward more complex games, chatbots or health and wellness apps that combine advertising revenue with in-app purchases.
Google is collaborating with the Hanoi government, for example, by offering webinars on how to work within the country’s regulations. Wu told Nikkei Asia that the company is “not yet ready” to build a data center in the country, but it maintains structures of this type in Thailand and Malaysia.
“It is important that we expand our presence as we see AI consumption growing globally,” he said.
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