With more than 22 million smartphone users in Vietnam, and an impressive growth rate, the Vietnamese mobile market is attracting many interests. This report presents some milestones of 2014 together with statistics and trends for 2015 on the use and development of the mobile and applications ecosystem in Vietnam.
Key insights on the mobile market in Vietnam
Vietnamese mobile highlights in 2014
Among several important global events, 2014 has seen some major moves in the Vietnamese mobile and applications world:
- In early 2014, the rise of the “Flappy Bird” game application, developed in Vietnam, and its clones had a huge impact on the Vietnamese apps market, launching a wave of independent and clone games.
- Several mobile games have become successful throughout 2014.
- Vietnamese social network for gaming “onClan” is launched in September 2014.
- “CaptainStrike” is rebranded from the Vietnamese game “Chien Binh” to be sold abroad.
- “Zalo”, a leading Vietnamese chat application reaches 20 million users.
- Vinaphone, a Vietnamese mobile carrier, release its own chat application “Viet Talk”
Vietnamese mobile market statistics for 2014
- More than 22 million smartphone users in Vietnam
- 23.25% smartphone market penetration
- More than 14,000 mobile developers
- More than 190 million apps downloaded
- More than 15,000 apps produced in Vietnam
- Users of iOS (Apple) are spread among smartphone and tablets, while users of Android are very concentrated on smartphones.
- More than 19 million users of 3G, with the leading 3G providers being Viettel (60-70%), Mobiphone (20-27%) and Vinaphone (10-13%)
- Applications downloaded are primarily games (58%) and entertainment (15%)
- Game users primarily play on their smartphones
Vietnamese mobile market trends for 2015
- Rise of mobile chat applications, especially in the most popular, global applications: WhatsApp, LINE, WeChat, Viber, Facebook Messenger
- Taxi booking applications war heat up: GrabTaxi, Uber and some new apps may enter the Vietnamese market.
- Explosive growth of mobile games, with some Vietnamese games going global.
- Retailers to become more present in mobile marketing, through their mobile websites or applications. They should move towards the “mobile first” approach.
Presentation from January 2015 by Appota Corp.
