1Facebook First on Nielsen List of Top 10 iOS, Android Mobile Apps
2Facebook Proves Social Networking Matters
3Communicating 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.
4People Flock to YouTube to Watch Favorite Videos
5Google 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.
6Google Search Remains a Perennial Favorite
7Google Play Ranks as Top Apps Marketplace
8Google Gmail Is the Favorite Mobile Email App
9Instagram Photo-Sharing App Grew Rapidly in 2016
10Apple 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.
11Amazon 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.