The Most Used Apps Of 2021

Earlier this month, Apple released a list of the most-downloaded applications in the world, and, as you might imagine, it largely pointed to the fact that we were all craving connection and entertainment amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"The developers who won App Store Awards in 2021 harnessed their own drive and vision to deliver the best apps and games of the year — sparking the creativity and passion of millions of users around the world," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, in a press release. 

He continued: "From self-taught indie coders to inspiring leaders building global businesses, these standout developers innovated with Apple technology, with many helping to foster the profound sense of togetherness we needed this year."

This desire for connection is present in the most downloaded apps of the year, which include many of the most popular social media apps, like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and, of course, Zoom, according to MacRumors.

Read on to learn more about the most used applications of 2021, from social media apps to gaming apps.

Since its global expansion in 2018, the Chinese app TikTok has become one of the most popular social media applications and websites of all time. As the BBC reported, TikTok has become even more popular than other social media apps, like Instagram and Facebook, perhaps due to its unique algorithm, which learns what sort of content its users like to see much faster than other apps of its variety. 

TikTok has only grown in popularity in the past year. According to a report by Apple published by MacRumors, TikTok was the most downloaded free application of 2021. What's more, the website version of the application was the most-visited website in 2021 — even passing Google to reach that distinction, per Cloudflare.

Procreate Pocket was the most downloaded paid iPhone app of 2021, per MacRumors — and for good reason. For those unfamiliar with the app, Procreate Pocket allows artists to paint, draw, and sketch in high resolution. 

Users can choose from a number of different media, like acrylic, watercolor, charcoal, and calligraphy pens, according to Apple. What makes this application incredibly cool is the fact that many of its features were only previously available on an iPad or Mac.

The most popular free iPhone app of 2021 was Among Us, a four-to-15-player game in which you must determine who among you are the Imposters trying to kill everyone prepping the spaceship for departure, according to MacRumors. 

Players win the game by completing the required tasks or by voting the Imposters off the ship. To make the game more interesting, you can play as the Scientist, Engineer, Guardian Angel, or Shapeshifter, per Apple.

The most popular app in the Apple Arcade is The Oregon Trail, per MacRumors. You've likely heard of this game before, given the fact that it was first developed by Bill Heinemann, Don Rawitsch, and Paul Dillenberger in 1971 and released as a computer game to teach children about the lives of pioneers on the real-life Oregon Trail, according to Visit Oregon. 

This updated version of the game includes modern twists, like more immersive re-enactments of historically accurate events and other perilous journeys through time, per Apple.

Unsurprisingly, Minecraft has managed to remain one of the most popular apps in the app store. If you're unfamiliar with the game (first of all, how?), it allows players to explore and create an infinite number of diverse landscapes and worlds. 

Since being created in 2009, Minecraft has sold millions of copies, and dozens of versions of the game have been released for every sort of player, per Digital Trends.