With billions of installs, you’d think that Facebook or any number of Google apps were the most widely used Android apps during Q4 2015. However, it looks like the top spot belonged to Clean Master, according to a report by Drawbridge.
The research firm did not arrive at this conclusion based on the number of downloads. Instead, Drawbridge analyzed over 1 trillion in-app ad requests throughout October, November, and December of last year. For each month, Clean Master reigned supreme, while also being the app with the most unique users during the same time span.
For those not familiar with Clean Master, it’s a free Android security app that scans your smartphone for any vulnerabilities and viruses. Also part of the app is Battery Saver, which hibernates apps that it deems suck up too much battery, as well as Memory Boost and CPU Cooler. The former frees up RAM, while the latter tries to pinpoint apps that cause overheating.
Taking the number two spot for Android is CM Security, another security app that contains similar functionality to Clean Master.
Even though the report might have put smiles on the faces of the developers behind Clean Master, it also shows that even a relic of the past is somehow still relevant. During the early days of Android, because of a lack of optimization on the part of the operating system itself and any apps you downloaded from the Play Store, there was a need for something like Clean Master. However, Android has matured significantly since those early times, to the point where constantly killing all your apps actually drains battery life, with the more recent versions of Android including improved app management.
However, people are also concerned about their smartphones getting infected with viruses and malware, even though the possibility of acquiring one or the other is very low. Apps like Clean Master, which make sure their voices are heard whenever the latest Android exploit is discovered. feed off this paranoia and ensure they remain relevant.
Clean Master does still contain useful features, such as the ability to lock apps behind either a passcode or gesture, but it’s a relic of a time that’s now behind us.