Facebook and Google Flex their Mobile Might in 2016’s Top 10 Apps List

As 2016’s technological journey unfolded, a compelling narrative took shape in the mobile app space with a couple of notable taletellers pulling in the most users. So, which mobile applications truly captivated audiences?

Directly answering this question is a comprehensive report issued by Nielson as the year came to a close. Facebook proudly trumpeted number one on the list, boasting an impressive average usage of 146 million per month. This figure signifies a robust growth of 14 percent from 2015. Riding on Facebook’s triumph, its home-brand Messenger seized the second spot with an impressive 129 million average monthly users.

Apart from Messenger, another Facebook-owned app, Instagram, manifested a strong presence, sliding into the eighth spot. However, Facebook was not the only digital titan leaving its mark. Search Giant Google reigned supreme with its collection of apps – YouTube (garnering 113 million average monthly users) and Google Maps – clinching the 3rd and 4th positions respectively. Google was not done yet, as Google Search, Google Play, and Gmail also securing the 5th, 6th, and 7th positions sequentially.

All credit to the contributing powerhouses, but it wasn’t exclusively a Facebook and Google show. Other notable players making their presence felt on the list include Apple Music and the ever-adaptable Amazon app.

Enforcing the digital shift, more than $5 billion ($5.27 billion, to be precise) was spent online by the end of Black Friday, representing a striking year-over-year (YoY) increase of 17.7%. The day set a new record by passing the three-billion-dollar mark for the first time at $3.34 billion (a significant YoY growth of 21.6%), while Thanksgiving accounted for the remaining $1.93 billion. Black Friday also made retail history by generating over a billion dollars in mobile revenue at $1.2 billion, a substantial 33 percent YoY growth, according to a separate Adobe Black Friday report.

The robust 2016 app ratings and expenditure data clearly demonstrates the growing significance of mobile technology as an indispensable part of our daily lives. With this upward trend set to continue into 2021 and beyond, it’s genuinely intriguing to envision what the future holds for the world of mobile apps.