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- Apple released its list of the most downloaded apps and games in 2020, and it reflects what a weird year it has been.
- Zoom’s popularity has soared during the pandemic as people looked for ways to stay connected while stuck at home.
- With major film and TV releases delayed, people have increasingly turned to streaming services, but Disney+ ranked much higher than Netflix.
- DoorDash came in at 14th, while Uber didn’t make the top 20 at all.
- “Among Us,” meanwhile, ranked number one on the App Store’s free game downloads.
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Without question, 2020 has been a weird year – and that has been reflected that in people’s choice of apps.
On Wednesday, Apple released its list of the most downloaded apps and games over the course of the year, and it’s no surprise that Zoom and “Among Us” come out top.
But some of the trends may be a bit more of a shock. Disney+, for example, came in at third place while Netflix was all the way down at 12th, and TikTok beat YouTube depsite President Donald Trump’s calls to ban the apps in the US.
Here are this year’s most downloaded free apps.
1 Zoom
It’s of no surprise that Zoom tops the list of most downloaded free apps in 2020. The video conferencing app has boomed during the pandemic as people looked for ways to communicate with colleagues and loved ones during lockdown. In April, the company reported 300 million daily meeting participants. It has also been rolled out by many schools and colleges, too.
Users can either use the free service or pay to get access to more functions and avoid the 40-minute call limit.
Its rival Google Meet came in at 20th on Apple's list.
2 TikTok
TikTok is another app that has seen its popularity rocket during the pandemic. Seen by many as a replacement for Vine, the app lets users share short-form videos, ranging from music and dance to comedy and short speeches.
Though the app was first launched back in 2016, and rolled out in the US in 2018, it's only in 2020 that it's really boomed. Following its success, the app has created a new wave of internet celebrities and "influencers," who companies pay to post sponsored content.
The Chinese app has provoked privacy and national security concerns among US officials this year, causing President Donald Trump to call for its ban, but this has since fallen through.
3 Disney+
Disney's streaming app only launched in November 2019, but it couldn't have come at a better time. As cinemas across the world shut during lockdown, millions of people turned to streaming services including Disney+ and Netflix.
Disney even launched its live-action "Mulan" straight on to the platform, skipping its theatrical release.
Disney+ has enjoyed explosive growth this year, but this may soon come to an end as it struggles to release new content. It had to halt television and film production for most of the year. When it started filming again the process was both slower and more expensive due to COVID-19 safety measures, the entertainment company said last month.
Netflix's profits have soared during the pandemic with record numbers of new subscribers, but it ranked much lower than Disney+ on Apple's list in 12th place. This likely reflects how new Disney+ is, meaning few people had downloaded the app before the start of the year.
4 YouTube
Despite the rise of TikTok and Twitch, YouTube has remained strong. Part of this could be because, unlike TikTok, YouTube isn't limited to 60-second videos.
Across the world, theaters, musicians, and companies have taken to live-streaming events on the platform during the pandemic as large public gatherings were cancelled.
5 Instagram
The photo sharing app rounds off Apple's five most downloaded apps.
But the platform is also faces competition from the ever-growing TikTok. In November, it announced a home screen redesign and dedicated prime real estate to a function called Reels, a short-form video app set to compete with TikTok, with basic audio and video editing capabilities.
The rest of the bunch
The other apps that made up Apple's top 10 are Facebook, Snapchat, Messenger, Gmail, and Cash App.
DoorDash made it to 14th place, as the closure of restaurants during the pandemic has caused massive demand for take-out services.
Uber, meanwhile, didn't make the top 20 - likely because fewer people have been traveling during the pandemic.
Top free games
"Among Us," meanwhile, ranked number one on the App Store's top free game downloads.
The deduction game involves players, known as crewmates, complete across a spaceship while trying to identify their fellow "impostors," who are assigned at random and have to kill off crewmates to win the game.
Because the game can be played remotely on both PC and mobiles, and because it encourages simultaneous voice or text chat to identify the impostors, it's been seen as an ideal game for friends split apart during global lockdowns. Even Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has streamed herself on Twitch playing the game, peaking at more than 438,000 viewers.
Other games that made it to Apple's top five include "Call of Duty," "Roblox," "Subway Surfers," and "Ink Inc. - Tattoo Drawing."
This is part of a wider gaming trend: video games have been in huge demand during lockdowns around the world. The PlayStation 5s sold out at major retailers and caused websites to crash, and people bought more than 12 million Nintendo Switches during the pandemic.