And just like that, January 2021 flew by us, and we're sitting down to discuss how the app industry fared in the month's time span. Analyzing data from Sensor Tower, ranking the most download and top grossing apps, let's dig into some consumers app preferences.
First, let's talk downloads. January's most downloaded app across both Google Play and the Apple App Store was revealed to be Telegram. The social media messaging service seems to very clearly be riding its success from late 2020, brought on by the extremely adverse reaction WhatsApp faced over its policy changes (which have since then been redacted). In lieu of that, Signal is also present at number 3 in terms of overall downloads. Discussing individual markets, Telegram's number one on the Google Play store, while being number 4 on the App Store. Signal drops to number 10 in the App Store, but is a soaring 2nd place on Google Play.
There seem to be certain discrepancies across the App Store and Google Play, brought on by clear-cut differences in the consumer communities surrounding both Apple and Android users. YouTube ranks number 2 on the Apple Store, but is nowhere to be found in the overall top 10 or even the Google Play store, owing to it's usually pre-downloaded presence in Android devices. WeChat is an App Store exclusive entry absent from both general and Google Play downloads, while the opposite is true for Moj.
In general, however, both communities seem to mesh over most of the top downloaded entries. Other than Telegram and Signal, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Zoom make both the general top 10 as well as each market's respective top 10. Overall, it does seem that Google Play downloads held influence over the overall highest number of downloads, possibly owing to a larger number of Android consumers. Apps ranked high on the Play store were accordingly reflected in the top 10 and the MX Taka Taka app, entirely absent from the App Store's list, ranked number 4 on Google Play and number 8 on overall Downloads. Snapchat also maintains a number 9 position in both lists, despite being nowhere to be seen in the App Store's top 10.
Revenue generated, however, tells a different story. That much is made glaringly obvious, right from the get go with our first entry. The top grossing app on our list, all of these being non-gaming ventures, is TikTok, which really shouldn't come as a surprise considering the app's massive userbase. It ranks number one on the App Store as well, but is shockingly entirely absent from the Google Play top 10. Yet, that seems to have almost no effect on overall placement, perhaps spelling that Apple will be leading the dance on this front.
Many Google Play exclusive entries, such as ESPN, Bigo TV, Pandora, and Twitch, did not make the overall top 10 downloaded. The only Play exclusive to commit such a feat is Google One, which made it to the number one slot in downloads on the Google Play store, but entirely loses momentum and drops down to number 10 in terms of overall downloads. It seems that, owing to Apple products being more expensive and thus being invested in by more affluent individuals, users from the App Store are able to spend much more on their products than the average Android user.
Let's discuss the points of agreement in terms of revenue generated before we conclude this breakdown, shall we? As with the most downloaded, several apps made it to both lists. Number 2 on the overall highest grossing list, Piccoma, is featured on both App Store and Google Play lists, making number 6 on the former and 2 on the latter. Other unifying apps include Tinder, Disney+, iQIYI, and LINE Manga.
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First, let's talk downloads. January's most downloaded app across both Google Play and the Apple App Store was revealed to be Telegram. The social media messaging service seems to very clearly be riding its success from late 2020, brought on by the extremely adverse reaction WhatsApp faced over its policy changes (which have since then been redacted). In lieu of that, Signal is also present at number 3 in terms of overall downloads. Discussing individual markets, Telegram's number one on the Google Play store, while being number 4 on the App Store. Signal drops to number 10 in the App Store, but is a soaring 2nd place on Google Play.
There seem to be certain discrepancies across the App Store and Google Play, brought on by clear-cut differences in the consumer communities surrounding both Apple and Android users. YouTube ranks number 2 on the Apple Store, but is nowhere to be found in the overall top 10 or even the Google Play store, owing to it's usually pre-downloaded presence in Android devices. WeChat is an App Store exclusive entry absent from both general and Google Play downloads, while the opposite is true for Moj.
In general, however, both communities seem to mesh over most of the top downloaded entries. Other than Telegram and Signal, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Zoom make both the general top 10 as well as each market's respective top 10. Overall, it does seem that Google Play downloads held influence over the overall highest number of downloads, possibly owing to a larger number of Android consumers. Apps ranked high on the Play store were accordingly reflected in the top 10 and the MX Taka Taka app, entirely absent from the App Store's list, ranked number 4 on Google Play and number 8 on overall Downloads. Snapchat also maintains a number 9 position in both lists, despite being nowhere to be seen in the App Store's top 10.
Revenue generated, however, tells a different story. That much is made glaringly obvious, right from the get go with our first entry. The top grossing app on our list, all of these being non-gaming ventures, is TikTok, which really shouldn't come as a surprise considering the app's massive userbase. It ranks number one on the App Store as well, but is shockingly entirely absent from the Google Play top 10. Yet, that seems to have almost no effect on overall placement, perhaps spelling that Apple will be leading the dance on this front.
Many Google Play exclusive entries, such as ESPN, Bigo TV, Pandora, and Twitch, did not make the overall top 10 downloaded. The only Play exclusive to commit such a feat is Google One, which made it to the number one slot in downloads on the Google Play store, but entirely loses momentum and drops down to number 10 in terms of overall downloads. It seems that, owing to Apple products being more expensive and thus being invested in by more affluent individuals, users from the App Store are able to spend much more on their products than the average Android user.
Let's discuss the points of agreement in terms of revenue generated before we conclude this breakdown, shall we? As with the most downloaded, several apps made it to both lists. Number 2 on the overall highest grossing list, Piccoma, is featured on both App Store and Google Play lists, making number 6 on the former and 2 on the latter. Other unifying apps include Tinder, Disney+, iQIYI, and LINE Manga.
H/T: SensorTower blog.
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