According to the latest data made available by Nielsen, Facebook and apps from Google like Gmail and the Android Market are the most popular smartphone apps among Android owners 18 years and older in the U.S.
To rank mobile apps by active reach, that is, by the percentage of Android owners who used the app within the past 30 days, Nielsen analyzed usage data from its proprietary device meters on the smartphones of the thousands of consumer panelists who agreed to be part of Nielsen’s ongoing Smartphone Analytics research.
Nielsen found that Facebook’s popular app is the most active among Android owners in the age range of 18-24 and 25-34, “who both hover at around an 80 percent active reach.”
Not surprisingly, Google’s YouTube app gets heavy usage from Android smartphone owners 18 -24. Nielsen says 64 percent have used it in the past 30 days, compared to 56 percent and 51 percent of 25-34 and 35-44 year olds.
A preference for media apps with a social dimension (e.g. Words with Friends) among the 18-24 set is also reinforced by their sizable usage of music and video apps (e.g. Pandora) compared to older demographics.
In addition to using their smartphone apps for social activities and mobile gaming, the 35-44 segment demonstrates a greater inclination to shop using the Amazon AppStore, as 24 percent of them used the app in the last 30 days, while only 14 percent of those 18-24 did the same, Nielsen says.
To read the full report, click here.
