Google and Facebook Dominate The List of 2016's Top Ten Apps (betanews.com)

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Google and Facebook Dominate The List of 2016's Top Ten Apps (betanews.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on Saturday December 31, 2016 @11:39AM from the fast-away-the-old-year-passes dept.

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.

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"insane growth"? by turkeydance · 2016-12-31 11:51 · Score: 2

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.
1. Re:"insane growth"? by ColdWetDog · 2016-12-31 13:30 · Score: 2
  
  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.
  
  --
  Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
2. Re:"insane growth"? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 13:53 · Score: 0
  
  Oh - you think Republicans don't vote for gun control legislation in Congress. They do.
  Also why assume Trump would protect anyone's right to own a firearm. He's a known liar.
3. Re: "insane growth"? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 14:33 · Score: 0
  
  Trump is the closest thing to God you will ever know. You should be praying you get the chance to lick his skin to cure you of your Hermitage.
4. Re: "insane growth"? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 21:00 · Score: 0
  
  And Democrats vote for gun rights as well...
5. Re:"insane growth"? by Ol+Olsoc · 2017-01-01 02:32 · Score: 1
  
  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 internet, and there was nothing to be found.
  I guess the takeaway is to buy between the big scares.
  
  --
  The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
It's over by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 11:59 · Score: 0

9000
Top ten for what, exactly? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 12:00 · Score: 0

Strip-mining your privacy?
1. Re:Top ten for what, exactly? by Z00L00K · 2016-12-31 22:22 · Score: 1
  
  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.
  
  --
  If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
Fuck Facebook by war4peace · 2016-12-31 12:11 · Score: 5, Interesting

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.

--
...gis sdrawkcab (usually not responding to ACs; don't bother posting as AC)
1. Re:Fuck Facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 12:30 · Score: 0
  
  Samsung phones are shit. The quicker Google kicks their ass to the curb, the better.
2. Re:Fuck Facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 13:18 · Score: 0
  
  Hear hear.
  I have a work provided Galaxy S7 Active from AT&T. IT comes preloaded with all these fucking apps that I cant remove... constantly popping up with alerts, reminders, tracking shit, and just generally being annoying. HEY it looks like you're at the gas station... do you want to take pictures and post them online? And don't forget Directv... 50 fucking Directv apps, popups, ads, etc. I don't even have Directv. Amazon Kindle, Uber, Samsung Pay, the list goes on. 1/2 the space on this phone is taken up -- out of the box -- by shit I didn't ask for nor do I want.
  And for a Snapdragon 820, this thing is slow as fucking shit.
3. Re:Fuck Facebook by drinkypoo · 2016-12-31 14:46 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  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.
  
  --
  "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
4. Re: Fuck Facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 17:48 · Score: 0
  
  Samsung's bloat is shit. And bloat exists because stupid google allows it.
5. Re:Fuck Facebook by thegarbz · 2016-12-31 22:28 · Score: 1
  
  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.
6. Re: Fuck Facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 23:01 · Score: 0
  
  Joke's on us, then, because some apps have the option to Disable them disabled.
7. Re:Fuck Facebook by war4peace · 2017-01-01 02:11 · Score: 1
  
  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.
  
  --
  ...gis sdrawkcab (usually not responding to ACs; don't bother posting as AC)
8. Re:Fuck Facebook by drinkypoo · 2017-01-01 13:01 · Score: 1
  
  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.
  
  --
  "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
9. Re: Fuck Facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2017-01-01 14:31 · Score: 0
  
  FB app : can't zoom and save pics. Uses FB on external sites so bookmarks dont work.
  Can edit with long press instead of 'more'
  Chrome FB is better.
10. Re:Fuck Facebook by war4peace · 2017-01-02 11:03 · Score: 1
  
  Security would come crashing onto my head if I did that.
  I reported this update to them, let's see what they say.
  
  --
  ...gis sdrawkcab (usually not responding to ACs; don't bother posting as AC)
apple by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 12:22 · Score: 0

i bet you for apple users exclusive its imessage which is very nice as a integrated messaging app and yes it was first and has been around longer than fb-messager. many socials have had some means of IM even forums or pure protocals just for im or even chat protocals even irc but there are others as for im pure sure mail even on a local network.
1. Re: apple by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 12:23 · Score: 0
  
  texting is cool n new
2. Re: apple by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 13:40 · Score: 0
  
  Nice run on sentences. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND YOU. Go back to your country. White powder!
Building the People Catalogue® by QuietLagoon · 2016-12-31 12:24 · Score: 2

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.
1. Re:Building the People Catalogue® by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 13:16 · Score: 0
  
  Windows 10 harvests my data... OK. So I just install facebook app to report my activities myself and show the finger to Microsoft. Good move.
2. Re:Building the People Catalogue® by Anonymous Coward · 2017-01-01 05:33 · Score: 0
  
  No, run Ubuntu so your data can be routed to Amazon. Much better. That'll show them, as you try to figure out why the fuck your common soundcard is broken yet fucking again.
In other news by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 12:38 · Score: 0

Harambe dominates the list of 2016's top ten apes
1. Re: In other news by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 17:52 · Score: 0
  
  what the fuck is "mum"? A mummy?
Re:Only apps can app apps! by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 13:09 · Score: 0

Appy new year!
Fagioli by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 13:37 · Score: 0

Can someone tell this guy we don't care?
Surprising by xlsior · 2016-12-31 14:03 · Score: 1

...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.
1. Re:Surprising by Anonymous Coward · 2017-01-01 01:14 · Score: 0
  
  probably just US
Surprising? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-12-31 15:23 · Score: 0

What is truly surprising is that there are still enough iPhones out there to get updates to a preinstalled app into the top 10 app downloads alongside all the updates to preinstalled apps on Android phones.
i have a short list by buddyglass · 2016-12-31 16:38 · Score: 1

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.