Big Tech competes for short-form mobile content attention

Big Tech companies are increasingly competing for short bursts of user attention, such as brief moments spent on smartphones during commutes or breaks. According to Sensor Tower, global mobile app users are projected to spend approximately 5.3 trillion hours on mobile applications in 2025, averaging about 3.6 hours per day. Revenue from in-app purchases and paid apps on iOS and Google Play is estimated to reach $167 billion, a 10.6% increase from the previous year.

Short-form video content has transitioned from a secondary feature to a primary consumption format. YouTube Shorts, for instance, reportedly reaches over 200 billion views daily. This trend extends to the rise of micro-drama applications, which Deloitte estimates saw global revenue grow from roughly $178 million in Q1 2024 to nearly $700 million in Q1 2025.

In Vietnam, DataReportal's Digital 2026 data indicates that TikTok will have an advertising audience of approximately 76.1 million adults by the end of 2025, with men accounting for 53.1% of that group.