Newsletter
So, this week we have the beginning of a new series of articles documenting how our favourite apps (paid, free and new) are doing on the Google Play Store starting off with the Communications category. Just about everyone has at least one communications app on their device, whether by choice or by way of the manufacturers pre-installed bloatware such as Samsung’s ChatOn app. The communications category includes a wide array of app types that range from instant messaging apps, text messaging replacement apps to video chat, browsers, email apps and even Anti-Virus applications. This information is provided by App Annie, who have tracked over 60 billion downloads, over $17 billion of transactions and are used by 90% of the Top 100 App Publishers.
As you can see from the table below, the top 6 apps in the free section are as stable as can be, while the bottom have all seen changes. Viber and Firefox Browser for Android have each gone up a position to 7th and 9th respectively with AVG’s AntiVirus Security and Dolphin Browser moving the other way. The apps in the Paid category have behaved in a similar fashion, with the Top 5 apps staying the same and the bottom half seeing some movement in both directions. Call Recorder Pro and SuperBeam PRO Unlocker have each gained a place, withPuffin Web Browser and AVG’s AntiVirus PRO each moving down a slot. The Email My Texts app managed to hold its position.
It’s probably no surprise to see such heavy hitters as Facebook’s Messenger, Kik and Skype occupying the top three of the Free Apps section, but it’s interesting to see the Wear Messenger app appear in the Paid app section, a sign that the Android Wear platform is starting to spread its wings. And perhaps AVG’s AntiVirus apps losing a spot each is a sign that people are getting more confident with the security of their device. Time will tell. Are there any apps that your would have expected to see but are indeed missing? Let us know in the comments below or at our Google Plus page. Next time, we’ll be taking a look at the Health and Fitness category.
