Facebook tops 2015 smartphone apps list in the US with 73 percent reach

The list of top 15 smartphone apps of July 2015 was recently released by Digital Analytics company comScore. Not surprisingly, Facebook has grabbed the top two positions in the table. While the Facebook app tops the list followed by Facebook messenger, the third spot is taken by YouTube.

The reports released by the Virginia-based analytics company reveal trends in the apps and platforms manufactured by Original Equipment Manufacturers. They render valuable information by disclosing key marketing and analytics data to agencies, publishers and firms. This report extracts data from comScore MobiLens and Mobile Metrix on core trends for July 2015 in the U.S. smartphone market.

Social media dominance is evident from the revelation as it shows 1 billion installs of the Facebook app on smartphones. In addition to this, Facebook Messenger surpassed Youtube for the first time to occupy the second place with a 59.5% market share. comScore’s report* states that the Facebook app reached 73.3 percent of the app audience, followed by its Messenger app reaching 59.5 percent, YouTube with 59.3 percent and Google Search with 52 percent audience base. Facebook also made a place at the 9th spot with its image sharing app Instagram with a 38.7% share.

However, it was a shocking to see no mention of Whatsapp in the top-15 list with its widespread usage and humongous customer base with 900 million monthly active users (as announced by the company this Thursday). On the other hand, an Internet radio app called Pandora was installed by 40% of the overall customers using cellular data.

Although Google’s Youtube fell to the third spot with a 59.3% share, the company still secured five places on the list out of the 15. These include Google Search, Google Play, Google Maps and Google’s Gmail. Apple occupied two positions on the list with Apple Maps at No. 11 and Apple Music at No. 14. After being relaunched as Apple Music in June this year, it is said to be facing some trouble in retaining its users.

Nonetheless, it is believed that if it can compel even a few of its customers to subscribe to Apple Music (Previously known as iTunes Radio), it can benefit greatly to the extent of surpassing Spotify which currently has 20 million subscribers. While Twitter stepped up one position to stand at number 13, the list ended with Snapchat with a low 21.9%market share.

Apart from this data, the report by comScore also revealed that Apple is the top smartphone manufacturer while Android occupied the number one position in the top smartphone platforms list. The former grabbed 44.2% of the OEM market followed by Samsung with a 27% share and the latter seized 51.4% of the platform market trailed by iOS with 44.2% market share. Finally, the findings also revealed that 192 million people in the US own smartphones showcasing 77.1 percent mobile market penetration as per this quarter ending July 2015.