Facebook Replaces Google Maps as Top U.S. Mobile App

Google claims five of the top six U.S. mobile apps at the end of 2012.

Social network leader Facebook has overtaken Google Maps as the top mobile application in the United States.

According to figures released by ComScore, the social network's app boasted 85,574 unique visitors in December and overtook the Google Maps app after September, which coincides with Apple removing the latter from iOS 6 in favor of its own mapping software, a move that ultimately backfired.

That said, Google re-released its Maps app, which was downloaded more than 10 million times in two days. ComScore VP of Industry Analysis Andrew Lipsman said Apple's removal of Google Maps was "largely responsible for the position swap," with mapping app "clawing its way back the past few months after getting reinstated on iOS 6."

Google still managed to account for five of the top six U.S. mobile apps at the end of 2012. Google Maps settled for second with 74,631 users, followed by Google Play, Google search, Gmail and YouTube.

ComScore said that Facebook's mobile app, which is used on 86 percent of all iOS devices, accounts for 23 percent of time spent on apps. All of Google's apps combined account for 10 percent of time spent on apps. Consequently, more than 1 out of every 3 minutes spent on mobile apps is spent on Facebook's mobile program or on a Google app.

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