Facebook Beats Google Plus on Android

December 23, 2011

Google is still hurting in the social media race, and this time it is even on its own mobile device.

Facebook has become the most popular app on Android, seeing a higher active reach than every single one of Google’s first-party apps.

ZDNet’s article, “Facebook is Now the Most Popular Android App”

The latest data comes from Nielsen, which ranked mobile apps by active reach: the percentage of Android owners who used the app within the past 30 days. The metrics research firm analyzed usage data from its proprietary device meters put on the smartphones belonging to thousands of participating consumers. As you can see in the chart [in the article], Nielsen broke down users by age group. Facebook had an 80 percent active reach for 18-24 year-olds, 81 percent for 25-34 year-olds, and 77 percent for 35-44 year-olds.

If accurate, very interesting. Facebook released its most recent app for Android last week, so as a twenty-something avid Facebook user, I am not surprised with this finding. I am, however, surprised with Google’s initial predictions that Google Plus would be strong competition for Facebook. The Google Plus Android App didn’t even rank on Nielsen’s top fifteen active reach rankings. What is going on, Google?

Andrea Hayden, December 23, 2011

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Stephen E. Arnold monitors search, content processing, text mining and related topics from his high-tech nerve center in rural Kentucky. He tries to winnow the goose feathers from the giblets. He works with colleagues worldwide to make this Web log useful to those who want to go "beyond search". Contact him at sa [at] arnoldit.com. His Web site with additional information about search is arnoldit.com.