iPhone users spend more on microdrama apps
August 11, 2026 13.41 Europe/London By Julian Clover


Microdrama viewers using iPhones spend around 40% more through apps than Android users, according to research from Omdia.

Analysis of Sensor Tower data found average weekly spending of approximately $14 among iPhone users, compared with $10 on Android devices.

Omdia’s consumer survey also identified regional differences in the proportion of viewers paying through subscriptions, individual purchases or in-app currencies.

South Korea recorded the widest gap, with 59% of iPhone microdrama users paying for content against 45% of Android users. The corresponding figures were 48% and 39% in Brazil, and 49% and 44% in Germany.

The distinction was less apparent in the United States. Around 9% of iPhone owners and 10% of Android owners had used a microdrama app during the previous three months. Of those users, 69% on iPhone and 68% on Android paid for content.

“Microdramas are rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing segments of digital entertainment,” said Maria Rua Aguete, head of media and entertainment at Omdia. “Understanding who watches is important, but understanding who pays is what drives long-term commercial success.”

Microdramas typically comprise vertically formatted episodes lasting one or two minutes and are designed primarily for mobile viewing. The format originated in China but is attracting growing audiences and investment in Europe, the United States and Latin America.

Recent WPP Media research found 3.5 million adults in Poland were using or testing dedicated micro-series apps, while almost 10 million had encountered the format through social media. However, Polish viewers showed a stronger preference for advertising-supported access than paid subscriptions.

The Omdia findings are based on consumer research conducted in the United States, Brazil, Germany and South Korea in April 2026, alongside its analysis of Sensor Tower data.