Facebook overtook Google Maps to become the “number one US mobile app” at the end of 2012, according to research firm comScore.

Although Google lost out on top spot, more positively it does occupy the next five positions in the chart. comScore noted that “given the ubiquity of various Google services in addition to many being native apps on both iOS and Android, its strength should perhaps not come as a surprise”.

While Google Maps had led the way during the first nine months of the year, Apple’s decision to replace it as the core iOS mapping product led to a drop-off in use. The app has been “clawing its way back the past few months”, putting it in a stronger position in 2013.

Facebook also accounts for 23 percent of the total time spent using apps – by far the largest single title – with the same company’s Instagram ranking joint second on 3 percent, alongside Gmail and Google Maps. With Google’s portfolio accounting for 10 percent of the time spent using apps, this means that the two companies account for “one out of every three minutes spent on mobile apps”.