Mobile video conferencing apps such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google witnessed increased adoption during the first half of 2021, according to data from Sensor Tower.

As per an analysis of Sensor Tower Store Intelligence data, the collective monthly active users of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet in the first half of 2021 were over 2.5 times higher than in H1 2020.

The same cohort of video conferencing apps grew 151 percent year-over-year (y-o-y) in H121.

Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet had already witnessed a surge in usage in H120, collectively climbing to nearly 21 times higher than in H1 2019.

“Despite reports of screen fatigue leading users to seek out different types of entertainment—for example, social audio platforms like Clubhouse—the same cohort of video conferencing apps grew 151 percent y-o-y in H121,” Sensor Tower said in a blog post.

When indexed against monthly active users in March 2020, the three apps recorded over 3.5 times more users engaging with them in June 2021.

These have have collectively witnessed consistent adoption rates across the past four quarters. However, their adoption has decreased from Q2 2020 at the onset of the pandemic.

The cohort’s Q1 2021 installs were up 51 percent when compared to Q1 2020, and Q2 2021 installs were up 35 percent when compared to the same period.

The apps collectively witnessed 223.1 million installs in Q1 2021 and 198.9 m installs in Q2 2021.

Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet have continued to expand their solutions and add new features since last year, focusing on the remote working and hybrid workplace culture apart from online education.

For instance, Microsoft brought features such as the Together Mode in teams. It is also putting Teams front and centre in its latest operating system update, Windows 11.

Google has also been expanding Meet, bringing in features such as Background Noise cancellation. It recently released another major update for the platform.

Zoom has been working on building an events marketplace and support for third-party games.

“Whatever the future of virtual get-togethers hold, the platforms will likely continue to reach parity in some features while also seeking to differentiate themselves to both retain existing users and siphon away consumers from their rivals,” Sensor Tower said in its post.

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