Dive Brief:

• Mobile use in America is burgeoning, up a big 76% in 2014 from 2013, with app usage growing in every category, according to mobile research firm Flurry Analytics. Flurry has reported on mobile app use for six years.

• While 2013 was the year that mobile messaging took off, 2014 was the year for mobile retail, according to Flurry. Mobile messaging grew 115% in 2013, while mobile use in the "lifestyle & shopping category" grew 174% in 2014.

• Flurry found that the bulk of mobile use has shifted from entertainment to getting things done, including shopping. Its analysis showed that the most mobile shopping is done away from home, peaking at the morning’s commuting time from 9 a.m. to noon, with another peak later at home, around 8 p.m.

Dive Insight:

To get its numbers, Flurry Analytics tracked a whopping 2.079 trillion mobile app sessions this past year. The great move in 2014 towards mobile shopping is a challenge and opportunity for retailers, who must realize that they’re always open on mobile, as they are on the web. But with mobile, their customers are not tethered to a computer, meaning they can price compare and use retailers' apps in-store.