Google vs. Microsoft: Race for Productivity App Leadership Revealed [Report]

The findings of a recent study examining productivity tool downloads on Google Play reveal a notable trend: a vast majority of mobile users are increasingly relying on their smartphones to manage their professional responsibilities and organize daily activities.

Recent research examining the download trends of productivity apps on Google Play has unveiled a significant trend among mobile users. The study reveals a prevailing inclination toward utilizing smartphones to manage professional commitments and organize daily agendas. This shift underscores the growing reliance on mobile technology for navigating work responsibilities and scheduling tasks efficiently.

According to the report, the leading apps within the business and productivity segments have collectively accumulated an impressive number of downloads. In the business category alone, these apps have garnered a remarkable 4.7 billion downloads, while productivity apps have reached an astonishing 55 billion downloads.

Thomas Kriebernegg, General Manager of SplitMetrics, highlights, “The data shows a clear preference for productivity tools. The rise of on-demand services, remote work, and mobile entrepreneurship is driving demand for user-friendly business apps. While acquiring users may be costly, their high engagement and value present significant market opportunities.

Microsoft’s LinkedIn emerges as the top contender in the business category, boasting an impressive lifetime download count of 1.5 billion. It is closely followed by renowned video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, with 1.1 billion downloads, and Microsoft Teams, with 426 million downloads. Other notable mentions in the list include OfficeSuite, with 195 million downloads, and Indeed, with 188 million downloads.

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Within the productivity category, Google emerges as the dominant force. Google Drive stands out with an impressive lifetime download count of 10 billion, establishing itself as the top contender. Following closely behind are other offerings from Google, with Google Calendar securing 6 billion downloads, Microsoft OneDrive with 4 billion downloads, Google Assistant with 3 billion downloads, and Google Keep with 2.7 billion downloads. This data underscores Google’s widespread adoption and influence in the productivity app landscape.

The study further unveils the apps that have experienced remarkable year-on-year growth. Lopay: Payments & POS leads the business category with an impressive 339% increase in 2023, followed closely by Etsy Seller with a growth of 329%. Additionally, JobSwipe witnessed a substantial surge of 221%, while Parcel Tracking – mobile and Shopify also demonstrated notable growth rates of 144% and 83%, respectively. These findings highlight the dynamic nature of the app market and the evolving preferences of users in managing their professional endeavors.

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There is one more star in the productivity category and that is PDF Reader. PDF Viewer emerged as the frontrunner in terms of growth, experiencing an impressive 701% surge in 2023. Following closely behind is Notepad, which saw a substantial increase of 457%, followed by All Document Reader with a growth of 431%. While Google Tasks exhibited a more modest growth rate of 29%, Link to Windows showed a 21% increase. These statistics underscore the evolving landscape of productivity tools and the rising demand for efficient document management solutions.