Key stat: Google owns six of the 15 most-visited US smartphone apps, led by YouTube at 176.7 million unique visitors and 75% reach, according to July data from Comscore.

Beyond the chart:

• That grip is growing as social loosens its own. Social media apps' share of time spent on mobile phones fell to 41.4% in July, down 5.1% from April and the steepest three-month drop since Apptopia began tracking it in 2023.
• Google is extending the same distribution advantage into AI. Its AI Mode now reaches 1 billion monthly users, and our analysts expect Google's AI chatbots to close within roughly 1 million users of ChatGPT by the end of this year.

Use this chart: Drop this in your mobile planning deck when the conversation defaults to social. Use it to show leadership where attention actually sits across search, video, mail, maps, and commerce, and to benchmark your own app's reach against the 15 apps your customers open every day.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• US Time Spent With Media H2 2026 Update (EMARKETER subscription required)
• Top Trends to Watch in 2026: August Update (EMARKETER subscription required)