A systematic review and future agenda on continuance intentions in mobile apps

Abstract

Technology changes at ever increasing speeds. Therefore, it is crucial for practitioners and academics to understand why users’ intend to continue or discontinue their usage. This paper presents a current and comprehensive systematic literature review on continuance intentions for mobile applications. The review analyzes 119 studies from the Scopus database (January 2019–December 2023) using the PRISMA, SPAR, and TCCM frameworks. It identifies key theoretical models, determinants of mobile app continuance intention, research methods, existing gaps, and future research directions. Findings reveal that several well-recognised theoretical models are frequently applied in the literature on continuance intention. Consequently, the variables derived from these models are among the most commonly measured by researchers. Additionally, the majority of studies in this area employ quantitative methods, with structural equation modelling being most widely used. This review categorises the literature based on mobile application classifications and six distinct sets of factors influencing continuance intention: psychological, technical, social, behavioural, contextual, and barriers. Furthermore, it explores the outcomes associated with continuance intention. The paper identifies two primary areas for future research: the development of a conceptual framework and research design. It also highlights research opportunities related to emerging technologies and the gap between intentions and actual behaviours.