Uptodown: the Leading Distributor of Android Apps for the Mobile Web

Since 2002, Uptodown.com has been devoted to distributing software applications, originally for Windows desktop, and currently  specialized in Android apps. 15 years later, the two Spanish founders that started the company as college students, Luis Hernandez & Pepe Domínguez, lead a team of 12 to handle more than 88 million monthly visits, and over 120m monthly downloads. As of today, Uptodown is the world’s 180th most visited website, with 80% of users visiting from mobile browsers, predominantly Android devices.

Since 2013, Uptodown’s traffic has grown dramatically, mostly thanks to its mobile-first strategy and focus on Android. During the 2013-2016 timeframe, Uptodown.com has received ~890 million unique users, and topped over 1 billion successful downloads in 2015 alone (Source: Google Analytics)

Why Android?

In comparison to other operating systems, like Apple’s iOS or Microsoft’s Windows, the Android market is very fragmented across devices. Many smartphone manufacturers like Samsung, Asus, HTC, along with many newcomers, rely on the Android operating system. Because of this fragmentation, the distribution of Android apps faces a number of unique challenges.  How can we help software developers reach every single Android smartphone in the world?

Google Play is not able to provide full distribution coverage due to various technological, economic, and political barriers. At the same time, mobile carriers are seeking to add more value to their users by enabling channels to as many apps as possible. But when it comes to distribution, there is one channel that provides more freedom and flexibility than native apps or pre-loaded app stores: the Mobile Web (Internet browsers accessed from mobile devices).

While there is growing competition in the native App Marketplace sector — with companies like 99Apps, Amazon, and of course, Google Play — there is not as much competition in the Mobile Web space, other than Uptodown. Other companies in this same sector include APK Mirror, and APK Pure.

In the Mobile Web universe, Uptodown is by far the leading APK distributor for Android Apps. (Source: Google Trends, 2016)

The Role of Android Publishers

Just as we need effective tools to download apps, we also need fun, inspiring, and informative ways to discover new apps. While several App Discovery startups have lately released innovative technology, there is one source of discovery that remains very popular: technology blogs.  

Certain technology blogs have built large audiences that follow their opinions. Some influencing publishers include Android Central, Android Authority, and AndroidPIT, which garner millions of monthly visits and conversations in communities like Reddit, and Twitter. It’s no surprise that app developers turn to these publishers to generate more installs. Without a doubt, publishers play a big role in the App Discovery stage.

Publishers and Distributors, Better Together

• “Publishers” generate editorial content about Android apps and the industry trends.
• “Distributors” enable users to download apps.

Uptodown believes that publishers and app distributors should work more closely together. For this reason, Uptodown is committed to partnering with publishers to help their readers freely download apps without barriers.

At Uptodown, we strive to make of the Android industry a more transparent, and accessible one. Any Content. Any Country. Any Device. Any User.

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