The 10 Most Frequently Used Smartphone Apps

Google Maps is the most frequently used mobile app in the world, according to GlobalWebIndex data on global smartphone users in Q2 of 2013.

The top three apps after Google's popular mapping tool are Facebook (44% of smartphone users), YouTube (35% of users) and Google+ (30% of users).

Statista's chart below tracks the 10 most frequently used smartphone apps in the world, based on percentage of smartphone users that have used the app in the past month.

Which apps do you use the most? Let us know in the comments.

HTC confirms phones with Android 4.0

HTC, known for its series of Android devices lately, has now come up with surprising its Android phone users. The manufacturer has announced the first wave of devices that will taste the new Android version 4.0 – Ice Cream Sandwich.

The phones that are expected to get the new update are : HTC Vivid, HTC Sensation, HTCSensation XL, HTC Sensation XE, HTC Rezound, HTC Evo 3D, HTC EVO Design 4G and HTC Amaze 4G.

While the all new HTC Vivid that made its debut yesterday is upgradable to Ice Cream Sandwich, the other phones mentioned will get the upgrade in early 2012. This is what HTC has to say:

We can confirm the brand new HTC Vivid, on sale beginning today, is upgradeable to Ice Cream Sandwich. In addition, Ice Cream Sandwich is coming in early 2012 to a variety of devices including the HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XL and HTC Sensation XE, as well as the HTC Rezound, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Design 4G and HTC Amaze 4G through close integration with our carrier partners. We’re continuing to assess our product portfolio, so stay tuned for more updates on device upgrades, timing and other details about HTC and Ice Cream Sandwich.

HTC made this note on their FB page. It’s time that Samsung and other manufacturers kick-start with their phone upgrades.

Samsung overtakes Apple in smartphones, trails in profits

Even with 40% fewer unit sales, the iPhone is 3 times more profitable than the Galaxy S

Source: Strategy Analytics

Apple's (AAPL) reign as the world's No. 1 maker of smartphones, it turns out, was like the life of a grasshopper: It overtook Nokia (NOK) in June and was overtaken by Samsung in September.

Samsung reported Friday that it sold 27.8 million Galaxy smartphones last quarter, easily outpacing the iPhone's 17.07 million. Even if Apple sells 25 to 30 million iPhones in the holiday quarter, as various analysts predict, Samsung is likely to retain its lead.

But unlike the grasshopper, Apple is in it for the long run. It's selling iPhones as fast as it can make them and socking away more profit than all of its competitors combined (see here).

Samsung, for example, reported profits of $2.2 billion from the sales of Galaxy smartphones last quarter, 60% of the electronic giant's total.

iPhone sales last quarter, while less than expected, generated nearly $11 billion in sales (39% 0f Apple's total). Assuming, conservatively, 60% profit margins on each iPhone sold, that's an estimated profit of $6.5 billion, leaving No. 1 Samsung in the dust.