Google Maps tops list of most used smartphone apps

We all have applications that we use regularly on our smartphones and swear by it. But which is the one app that rules them all? The answers are here. If you thought Facebook, Twitter or WhatsApp was the world’s most used app, you’re in for a surprise. Google Maps has trumped all others to be the most widely used application in the world last month.

In a report by GlobalWebIndex, Google Maps has come out tops, ahead of Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and others. The study of the top 10 most actively used applications was conducted by studying the 969.49 million strong global smartphone population. Surely, there are many users around the world who do not feel the need of asking for directions when they’re hunting for a location, since 54 percent of the global smartphone population in the past month used Google Maps to find they’re way around.

Google Maps rules the apps (Image credit: Getty Images)

Google Maps’ Nokia counterpart, Ovi Maps is used by 9 percent of smartphone users while Apple’s disastrous Maps application is nowhere to be seen. Facebook’s application comes in at second place with 44 percent of global smartphone users employing the app to stay in touch with their social circle.

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Facebook also has two other applications in the top ten list – Instagram and Facebook Messenger. The social networking giant-owned Instagram makes it to the tenth position and has been actively used by 11 percent of the global population in the previous month. The study does note that the app’s growth since Q1 2013 has been pretty stagnant.

Facebook Messenger is on the eighth position and was used by 22 percent of the smartphone population around the world last month. It is trounced only by Weixin/WeChat when it comes to cross-platform messaging, The China-based service makes it to number five and is used by 27 percent of the smartphone world. It’s pretty interesting to note that WeChat has made it to the top five, considering it only has a huge presence in countries like China, Hong Kong and Malaysia. It’s slowly making inroads into India but has not managed to overthrow WhatsApp just yet in the country. Speaking of which, WhatsApp has come in at position nine with 17 percent of the global smartphone population using it. 

Google is not too far behind Facebook with its presence on the list. Besides taking first position with Google Maps, the Internet giant’s services come in at number three with YouTube and number four with Google+ Mobile application. Twitter’s native application is on the number six position with 22 percent active usage, followed by Skype.