Google App Joins the 5 Billion Downloads Club

Google’s eponymous mobile app has reached 5 billion downloads on the Google Play Store, the third Google app to do so.

It joins YouTube and Google Maps in achieving this milestone. (And Play Services, which is essential for any Google Play Store-related activities.) Actually, Google Maps just hit 5 billion downloads as well, just a few days ago. YouTube hit 5 billion downloads in December.

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday — and get free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (normally $9.99) as a special welcome gift!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Google’s ability to attain so many downloads is likely related to the fact that the Google app is preinstalled on Android phones. But the firm has seen great success across a wide range of apps, many of which are simply popular in their own right. Apps like Duo, Google Play Games, Google Photos, Google Play Music, Google Play Movies & TV, and many others have all passed the 1 billion download mark so far.

I believe that the top third-party apps, by download, are all between 1 and 5 billion. Facebook, for example, is listed as 1 billion+, as are WhatsApp and Instagram.

Thanks to Android Police for alerting me to this milestone.

Tagged with

Share post

Please check our Community Guidelines before commenting

Conversation 8 comments

  • Brazbit

    11 March, 2019 - 11:31 am

    <p>This is a bit like Microsoft touting that virtually every Windows installation includes a copy of Notepad. It's a core app that most users don't have a choice about receiving.</p><p><br></p><p>I would be slightly more interested in what the utilization numbers look like. What percentage of users have ever launched the app and what percentage actively use it? Who cares if 5 Billion devices have it if only a small percentage use it? </p><p><br></p><p>Even Facebook's number is a yawner as it is preinstalled on nearly as many Android devices and often can't be uninstalled from most. </p>

    • hoomgar

      11 March, 2019 - 2:17 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#411030">In reply to Brazbit:</a></em></blockquote><p>Exactly.</p>

    • luthair

      11 March, 2019 - 7:38 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#411030">In reply to Brazbit:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>There is a key difference, most people use the builtin apps on mobile devices ;)</p>

    • conan007

      12 March, 2019 - 5:51 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#411030">In reply to Brazbit:</a></em></blockquote><p>Totally agree. On my iPhone I just looked at the Top Charts in UK App Store, Youtube ranks 7th, Google Maps only ranks 12th, Gmail ranks 16th (MS Outlook by the way ranks 21st). Facebook's apps (including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger) usually ranks in the top 5. It must not be that Apple users really hate (slightly dislike maybe) Google compared to Android users right?</p>

  • craziyogi07

    14 March, 2019 - 7:04 am

    <p>This is era of android and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appybuilder.craziyogi07.ImproveEnglishSpeaking&quot; target="_blank">mobile</a>.</p>

  • mrhd

    16 March, 2019 - 10:52 am

    <p>Yes Its well said google app pre-installed plays a vital role to reach this milestone. </p><p><br></p><p>Google is Smart !!</p><p><br></p><p>Cheers !!</p><p><a href="https://www.mr-hd.co/hindi/&quot; target="_blank">Mrhd</a></p>

  • shahidoccm

    18 March, 2019 - 5:04 am

    <p>It’s actually a cool and helpful piece of <a href="https://ithomeofsolution.com/&quot; target="_blank">info</a>.</p><p>I’m happy that you just shared this helpful info</p><p>with us. Please keep us <a href="https://www.dishbaba.com/&quot; target="_blank">informed</a> like this.</p><p>Thank you for sharing</p>

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Thurrott © 2024 Thurrott LLC