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Facebook First on Nielsen List of Top 10 iOS, Android Mobile Apps
Nielsen’s list of the most popular 10 mobile apps for iOS and Android in 2016 was dominated by just four technology giants: Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon.
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Facebook Proves Social Networking Matters
Facebook is the world’s most popular mobile app, according to Nielsen. The app, which allows users to connect with others through the world’s largest social network, attracted more than 146 million average unique users per month in 2016—a 14 percent growth rate compared to 2015.
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Communicating with Facebook Messenger
Facebook took the second highest spot in Nielsen’s ranking as well with Facebook Messenger. The app allows users to send video, text and audio chats to other Facebook users and, like the social networking app, is offered as a free download across most mobile platforms. It attracted nearly 130 million average unique users per month in 2016, a 28 percent jump compared to 2015.
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People Flock to YouTube to Watch Favorite Videos
In the first of many Google victories in the Nielsen report, YouTube ranked as the third-most popular app of 2016. The app, which lets users upload and watch videos, attracted nearly 114 million unique users per month, a 20 percent gain on 2015.
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Google Maps Usage Keeps Growing
Google Maps tallied 106 million average unique users per month in 2016, growing its user base by 22 percent compared to 2015. Google Maps comes bundled with Android and at one time was bundled with Apple’s iOS, but was replaced by the iPhone maker’s Maps app. Today it is available as a free download in the Apple App Store.
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Google Search Remains a Perennial Favorite
Google came in at fifth place in the Nielsen app rankings, with 106 million average unique users per month in 2016, an increase of 9 percent over 2015. Google Mobile Search includes a nifty voice feature, so users can quickly look things up without typing a query.
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Google Play Ranks as Top Apps Marketplace
Google Play, a marketplace for mobile apps and digital content of every description, was the sixth-most popular mobile app in 2016. Google Play attracted a monthly average of nearly 100 million unique users in 2016, growing its user base by 8 percent year over year.
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Google Gmail Is the Favorite Mobile Email App
Google’s standalone email program, Gmail, was another popular app this year. The app’s user base grew by 18 percent year over year to a monthly average nearly 89 million unique users. It was the lowest-ranking Google app in the top 10.
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Instagram Photo-Sharing App Grew Rapidly in 2016
The Facebook-owned photo-sharing app Instagram was next up on the Nielsen list of popular mobile apps. Instagram saw major growth in 2016, with its user base growing by 36 percent year over year to a monthly average of nearly 75 million unique users.
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Apple Music Streaming Service Grew 20 Percent
Unlike all the other apps in this roundup, Apple Music is only available on one mobile operating system—iOS. But that didn’t hold it back: Apple Music was able to attract an average of more than 68 million unique users per month. The streaming app’s user base was up 20 percent in 2016 compared to 2015.
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Amazon E-Retailing Mobile App showed the Highest Growth
Amazon’s mobile app, which allows users to search the marketplace, place orders and check on the status of purchases, had the strongest year-over-year growth in 2016. The app had an average of about 66 million unique users per month this year, 43 percent more than in 2015.
The Nielsen organization probably is best known to the public for its television ratings system, which ultimately determines how much television networks and cable channels can charge for advertising. But the company also does an enormous amount of research in many other markets including mobile devices. Nielsen has compiled a list of the 10 most popular mobile apps for iOS and Android devices in 2016. It should be no surprise that Facebook tops this list: Its mobile app usage, which is critical to the company’s business strategy, grew 14 percent year over year to an average of 146 million unique users. Several other apps, including YouTube, also attracted more than 100 million unique users. The Nielsen data also highlights how difficult it is to break into the top 10 list: The top 10 apps of 2016, which are ranked by the number of unique users each month, were developed by just four of the world’s biggest technology companies. Flip through the following slides to learn more.
Don Reisinger is a freelance technology columnist. He started writing about technology for Ziff-Davis’ Gearlog.com. Since then, he has written extremely popular columns for CNET.com, Computerworld, InformationWeek, and others. He has appeared numerous times on national television to share his expertise with viewers. You can follow his every move at http://twitter.com/donreisinger.
