Google and Facebook Dominate The List of 2016's Top Ten Apps

After surveying over 9,000 Android and iPhone users, Nielsen's "Electronic Mobile Measurement" has calculated the 10 most popular apps of 2016. Interestingly, the #1 and #2 most popular apps of the year were Facebook and Facebook Messenger. BrianFagioli writes: Facebook holds the first, second, and eighth spots -- remember, the company owns Instagram too. Google has the most number of spots in the top 10, with three, four, five, six, and seven [YouTube, Google Maps, Google Search, Google Play, and Gmail]. Rounding out the bottom of the list is Apple [for Apple Music] and Amazon. Google Play is sort of a weird inclusion, however, as it is the app which downloads other apps -- it probably should have been excluded.

Amazon saw insane growth, seeing a massive 43 percent year-over-year gain. Instagram comes in at second place with 36 percent. Facebook Messenger scores the third spot. The biggest surprise is that Apple Music is the top streaming music app, beating apps like Pandora and Spotify...because other music apps had huge head-starts.

"insane growth"?

[turkeydance]

Smith&Wesson had over 132% in 2015, and Ruger did 75%. when a company performs, the valuation rises. it's not insane, it's expected.

Re:

[ColdWetDog]

What are they going to do now that Obama is out? My neighbors, who are fiercely Wing Nut Republicans and who own the local gun shop have admitted that Obama has been the best thing for them in decades. All it takes is even a hint that someone is going to restrict gun purchases and the rest of my neighbors have to run out and get another gun.

Of course, the most popular bumper sticker around here is "Cut, Kill, Dig, Drill".

Alaska can be so much fun sometimes.

Re:

[Ol Olsoc]

What are they going to do now that Obama is out? My neighbors, who are fiercely Wing Nut Republicans and who own the local gun shop have admitted that Obama has been the best thing for them in decades. All it takes is even a hint that someone is going to restrict gun purchases and the rest of my neighbors have to run out and get another gun.

I'll probably be modded down for this, but that is the business model. You take an instrument that has inherent value, like a rifle, pistol or shotgun, and grow a culture around it. Then you promote the occasional "scare" where you say "The enemy is coming to take your guns away!" The members of that culture react, and you get an instant super high demand. Between the individual firearms sales and ammunition, it is a genius-level concept.

During the last big scare, I was looking for a sidearm on the inter

Re:

[Z00L00K]

Popular doesn't mean the most useful app for you as an individual. Also realize that many apps are provided as "bloatware" on your phone which skews the result.

Fuck Facebook

[war4peace]

I don't have the bloody app installed on my Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016).
And guess what came in December 31st, 2016... a system update. What does it say, among other things? "Installs Facebook App". Sorry, it does WHAT?
Yes I will risk the security holes and will NOT install this app. The phone is company-provided, otherwise I would sell it and get a Pixel.

So yeah, there's no "interestingly" about Facebook taking pole position. The reason is it being bundled on most phones.

Re:Fuck Facebook

[drinkypoo]

Yes I will risk the security holes and will NOT install this app. The phone is company-provided, otherwise I would sell it and get a Pixel.

It's stupid to have apps forced upon you, wasting space, but you can at least disable them so that they don't do things. They're not a good reason to refuse an update, unless there's so many of them that there's no room for the apps you actually want.

Re:

[war4peace]

Yeah well I am not sure what "disable" does, because I have tried that in the past with bundled apps coming on Samsung phones and I still was receiving occasional alerts / notifications from them.
I just do not want the app to reside on my phone.

Re:

[drinkypoo]

I just do not want the app to reside on my phone.

Well, when I want that, I root the device and remove it. I don't know how your employer would react to that, but I've never worked for anyone who would throw a fit if I did that.

Re:

[war4peace]

Security would come crashing onto my head if I did that.
I reported this update to them, let's see what they say.

Re:

[thegarbz]

I don't have the bloody app installed on my Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016).

You do, you just don't know it. I don't think I've ever seen a Samsung device that didn't have Facebook integration, and sync services out of the box, even if the App hasn't been installed.

Building the People Catalogue®

[QuietLagoon]

Is there any wonder why these particular two companies are at the top of the list? If Microsoft's forced march towards Windows 10 data harvesting had not pissed off so many people, Microsoft might have even been noticed as well.

Surprising

[xlsior]

...Is this just US, or worldwide? If it includes non-US as well, I would have expected Whatsapp to be somewhere in the top 5.

i have a short list

[buddyglass]

Apps I used regularly in 2016 on an iPhone, in no order: Google Maps, Candy Crush, Pokemon Go, Shazam, Duo Mobile (two-factor for VPN), Facebook. And Yelp when I was on vacation to find restaurants. That's about it. Spent no money on any of them.