Facebook and Google dominated the list of most popular apps in the United States for 2016, as reported by consumer research company Nielsen.
Most people will remember the hype that surrounded mobile games this year, as Pokémon GO shattered records and Super Mario Run quickly reached 50 million downloads. However, with Nielsen's report, it can be seen that social media remains as the primary focus of users' mobile devices.
Facebook, Google Dominate Nielsen's Tops of 2016: Digital
The Tops of 2016: Digital report, which was published online, listed the top 10 smartphone apps in the United States based on the monthly average unique users.
Claiming first place with just over 146 million users is Facebook, which saw its user base increase by 14 percent compared to 2015. The social network is followed by its communications companion, Facebook Messenger, which came in at second place with nearly 130 million users for 28 percent growth. The picture-sharing service Instagram, also owned by Facebook, came in at eighth place at nearly 75 million users with 36 percent growth.
While Facebook holds the top two spots in the list and three spots in the top 10, Google flexed its own muscles by claiming the third to seventh spots through a variety of apps that it owns. YouTube placed third with nearly 114 million users for 20 percent growth, Google Maps came in at fourth with almost 106 million users for 22 percent growth, Google Search placed fifth with just below 104 million users for 9 percent growth, Google Play came in at sixth with almost 100 million users for 8 percent growth, and Gmail placed seventh with about 89 million users for 18 percent growth.
Apple was able to crack the top 10 through Apple Music, which was reported to have over 68 million users with 20 percent growth. Bringing up the rear in the top 10 is Amazon, which has about 66 million users but boasted the highest growth among all the apps in the list at 43 percent.
Top Smartphone Operating Systems In The United States
The Nielsen report also briefly covered the top operating systems in the United States by market share for the third quarter of the year.
The report revealed that Google's Android operating system has a slight edge over its chief rival, Apple's iOS. For the third quarter, 53 percent of smartphone owners in the United States used devices powered by Android, while 45 percent used devices powered by the iOS.
The Windows Phone and Blackberry operating systems barely made their presence felt in the third quarter, recording market shares of only 2 percent and 1 percent, respectively.
