Google Outpaces Naver for Second Straight Month in South Korea's Mobile App Market

Google's expansion in the South Korean mobile app market has reached new heights, surpassing Naver for the second consecutive month. Google Maps achieved a significant milestone by reaching 10 million monthly active users (MAU) in July, followed by an even higher figure of 11.175 million MAU in August. This growth outpaced Naver Map and KakaoMap with year-over-year growth rates of 17.8%, 7.8%, and 6.6% respectively.

The Google app also maintained its top spot in overall app MAU rankings, edging out Naver by a margin of 423,842 users in August. This marks the second straight month that Google has held this position. The growth of the Google app is attributed to the connectivity among Google services centered on the Android OS and Gemini.

The use of pre-installed Google Maps on Android smartphones and direct accessibility from the Gemini conversation interface on Galaxy devices have contributed to increased usage. Industry observers point out that users are 'landed' into Google Maps often when using Android, thanks to its pre-installation effect. This has led to a significant increase in user inflow.

The expansion of search and AI features by Google is also driving user growth. The introduction of AI Mode in Search, Circle to Search on Samsung Galaxy devices, Google Lens, and Gemini in Chrome have increased the number of pathways through which users can access AI without seeking out a dedicated AI app.