This rise in mobile-phone usage means that smartphone apps have become a key marketing tool for companies of all sizes, including small businesses. Mobile apps have become ubiquitous and you probably rely on several to make your life as a small business owner easier and more efficient. Mobile apps increase engagement with customers. They boost repeat visits, and permit a wide variety of online transactions, including the deployment of loyalty cards, push promotions, and e-commerce transactions. Gross revenues will go to the top in 2016 for global mobile app sales Small businesses should be particularly interested in one key reason for the growth — mobile apps excel at capturing greater wallet shares in mature economies. Mobile app downloads to hit 284 billion in 2020.Can your small growing business really afford to stay out of the game when those kinds of numbers are in play? Google Play is going to grow like a weed because more people in developing countries are getting smartphones. Google Play will top 166 billion by 2020, and iOS will reach 35.2 billion. People aren’t just downloading game apps.Non-game app downloads will exceed $182 billion in 2020, accounting for a quarter of all app store downloads. People Spend 85% Of Time On Smartphones In Apps, Total time spent in apps on Android phones grew a whopping 63 percent in just one year. Apps deliver coupons and send announcements that build your sales with customers. Apps also accelerate contact with your company, which enhances relationships with customers in a world where speedy responses are prized by buyers. Smartphone icons even help build brands by providing a visual design that customers recognize. The infographic highlights the potential return on investment for small businesses that put some thought, time and money into developing their own mobile app. The market is huge and only getting bigger, and the potential for rewards is growing in pace with the expansion of the marketplace. Meanwhile, the cost of developing an app is going down for small businesses.