Video conferencing platform Zoom was one of 2020's breakout apps, and its adoption has continued to climb even as parts of the world begin emerging from pandemic-driven seclusion. One of the insights from Sensor Tower's upcoming Q2 2021 Data Digest report reveals that Zoom remained one of the top 10 most downloaded apps globally in the second quarter, even in markets such as the United States where many businesses are beginning to reopen and workers are returning to offices.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, consumers began searching for solutions for remote work, learning, and socialization. As a result, Zoom rocketed to the top of the app adoption charts in Q2 2020, becoming the most downloaded app globally across the App Store and Google Play.
Although adoption slowed after the initial surge in interest, the app's first-time installs have remained strong even in subsequent quarters, such as when it placed at No. 3 in Q3 2020 and No. 7 in both Q4 2020 and Q1 2021. Most recently, Zoom was the No. 6 most downloaded app globally in 2Q21, and it has amassed approximately 944 million downloads since January 2014 when Sensor Tower's Android data set began. Zoom launched on desktop and mobile in September 2012.
Zoom ranked even higher in Asia last quarter, placing No. 4 behind Facebook, TikTok (including Douyin on iOS in China), and Instagram. This is likely due to continued regional lockdowns in countries such as India, which is still heavily impacted by the pandemic. India is now Zoom's largest market for new and all-time installs, followed by the U.S.
In 2Q21, Zoom saw approximately 28.4 million installs across India's App Store and Google Play marketplaces, up 106 percent quarter-over-quarter from 13.8 million in 1Q21. This is in contrast to the global trend, which saw worldwide installs of the app decline 14 percent Q/Q to a little more than 93 million downloads in Q2 from 108.8 million in Q1.
As shown via Zoom's installs, parts of the globe are at different stages of recovering from COVID-19's impact on business. Sensor Tower's Q2 2021 Data Digest, which will be available next week, provides a deeper analysis of various markets and app categories as well as an overall picture of how the mobile ecosystem performed last quarter.