On May 27, 2017, iiMedia Research (China's leading third-party data mining and integrated marketing agency in the new economy sector), officially released the "2017 Q1 China Running Apps Special Research Report."The report shows that in 2016, the user base of China’s running apps reached 142 million, with an annual growth rate of 65.1%. It is expected to exceed 250 million by 2018. Analysts from iiMedia Research believe that the growth rate of the running app user base in China will slow down in the future. On one hand, this indicates that under the favorable national policy of the “National Fitness Program,” the existing market has limited room for expansion, and potential markets such as the elderly remain to be tapped. On the other hand, it also signals that operational and competitive pressures among homogenized products in the market will continue to intensify, making commercial exploration more challenging and urgent.
The following is the detailed content of the report:
China’s National Fitness Policy Developments
Policy Keywords: National Fitness, Sports Industry
Since the State Council of China issued the “National Fitness Plan (2016-2020)” in mid-2016, macro policies have continued to support the development of the national sports industry and fitness initiatives. Analysts at iiMedia Research believe that as public awareness of fitness improves under policy guidance, running — as a foundational sport with moderate intensity, low infrastructure requirements, and strong social engagement benefits — is expected to further drive the development of the mobile running app market.
2017 Trends in China’s Running App Market
ToB Services May Become a New Growth Area
Considering the current distribution of running app users in China, modern enterprises with a high concentration of white-collar workers may become a key battleground. Analysts at iiMedia Research believe that, on one hand, running apps can attract traffic by developing team running features or applications tailored for businesses, or by offering comprehensive service packages for corporate culture-building activities. On the other hand, they can also collaborate with companies to develop products that serve corporate clients, achieving a win-win situation.
Scale Effect Is the Foundation for Commercialization
In addition to running apps, domestic comprehensive fitness apps such as Keep and Feel have also developed “running” functions, and with the rise of shared bikes, many have added “cycling” tracking features. Analysts at iiMedia Research believe that running apps do not face significant disadvantages compared to comprehensive fitness apps. Both currently struggle with the commercialization challenge of insufficient essential demand. Whether focusing solely on running or covering a wide range of sports, cultivating user habits and achieving a sizable user base is essential before exploring commercial possibilities.
Explore Profit Models Around “Internet + Health”
On one hand, the positive trend of “national fitness” in China essentially reflects consumers’ growing demand for “health.” On the other hand, the current homogenization of running apps in China remains obvious, and innovation remains a key focus for the future. Analysts at iiMedia Research believe that launching smart fitness devices on the hardware side and offering personal training services on the software side both hold potential for successful commercialization. Companies need to consider their own capabilities and product scale to develop the optimal strategic plan.