24 per cent of Telegram's downloads in January 2021 were from India Telegram has overtaken TikTok to become the most downloaded non-gaming app overall in January 202, as per Sensor Tower’s report. The messaging platform recorded more than 63 million installs which is 3.8 times downloads when compared to January 2020. The app clearly benefitted from WhatsApp’s new privacy policies that caused a stir and led to users looking for alternatives rather than accept the terms and conditions.
While Telegram was the most downloaded non-gaming app on Play Store, it bagged the fourth spot in Apple’s App Store. On iOS devices, TikTok is still the most downloaded app in January 2021 followed by YouTube and video-conferencing app Zoom. Overall, TikTok’s downloads were surpassed by a million in the previous month.
Telegram rose from 9th position in December 2020 to the top in January 2021. Out of 63 million downloads, 24 per cent came from India followed by 10 per cent in Indonesia.
However, Telegram was not the only messaging app that rose through the ranks. Signal’s downloads skyrocketed too as it was the second-most downloaded app on Google Play Store and third overall. On Apple App Store, Signal managed to break into the top 10 as it was 10th on the list.
Signal witnessed a massive surge in its downloads soon after the Facebook-owned messaging platform’s new privacy policies were introduced. SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s tweet helped the app’s popularity grow manifold as WhatsApp drew flak worldwide.
In the absence of short-form video-sharing app TikTok, ‘Made in India’ app Moj managed to grab the eighth spot on Play Store’s top 10 list. It has over 100 million downloads on the platform. Despite all controversies, WhatsApp was on the list too grabbing the fifth spot overall.