When you look at the list of “most downloaded” apps year on year it’s normally a social media app, food delivery app or something like that, but for 2021 the list of Top Free iPhone apps is dominated by State and Federal Government apps related to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The list, released by Apple today shows the top ten list of paid and free apps across iPhone and iPad for the year to date.
At the very top of that list was the Express Plus Medicare App – used nationally to view and share your Digital Vaccination certificate. This app is the key to Australia’s ‘opening up’ plan, and has proven effective with integrations into state based apps across most of Australia.
Those State based apps were also big features.
Queensland’s Check-in QLD was the number 2 most downloaded free app for iPhone this year, ahead of Service NSW and Service Victoria.
Despite the size of the population in NSW, it’s likely the QLD app topped it because it was developed later, enforced as mandatory later and was not in use at all before the pandemic, unlike the NSW Government Service NSW app which has been the Digital Drivers licence for NSW for a little while now.
Even MyGovID featured as fifth, the new identity verification app from the Federal Government.
From there on it was content and streaming, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and Facebook.
If ever there was a demonstration of the role played by digital transformation in the response to the pandemic here in Australia – this list is that.
Here are the most downloaded apps in Australia for Apple iOS devices for 2021:
Top Free iPhone Apps
Top Paid iPhone Apps
Top Free iPhone Games
Top Paid iPhone Games
Top Free iPad Apps
Top Paid iPad Apps
Top Free iPad Games
Top Paid iPad Games
Top Arcade Games
Trev is a Technology Commentator, Dad, Speaker and Rev Head.
He produces and hosts two popular podcasts, EFTM and Two Blokes Talking Tech. He also appears on over 50 radio stations across Australia weekly, and is the resident Tech Expert on Channel 9’s Today Show each day and appears regularly on A Current Affair.
Father of three, he is often found down in his Man Cave.
If you're still catching up on Quantum Dots, OLED, Mini LED and are thinking that…
The NBN is getting ready to lock in the final stage of the Fibre to…
BMW has revealed the first new model to be designed and engineered under their 2025…
The SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell with SwannShield™AI Voice Assistant has been given an Honouree accolade for…
Reolink is a bit of an upstart when it comes to home security but having…
LG has announced its vision for AI-powered living at IFA 2025 under the moniker “LG…