Video-conferencing apps were downloaded an unprecedented 62 million times last week, reflecting a new normal in how people interact

• Video conferencing apps were downloaded over 62 million times in one week this month - setting a new record - according to a new report.
• Government lockdowns and social distancing measures amid coronavirus have forced people across the globe to work from home this month, leading businesses to flock to video conferencing services.
• Apps like Zoom, Google Hangouts Meet, and Microsoft Teams all saw downloads skyrocket, with Zoom topping the charts globally.
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As the spread of COVID-19 forces millions of people worldwide to stay home, companies are pivoting to video conferencing software en masse.

In just seven days from March 14-21, business conferencing apps topped 62 million downloads worldwide, according to a report published by the analytics firm App Annie on Monday.

It's an unprecedented spike in downloads - the number of business conferencing apps downloaded by iOS and Android users that week was up 45% from the week prior, and up 90% from the weekly average in 2019.

The majority of those apps downloaded were Zoom, Google Hangouts Meet, and Microsoft Teams, according to the report.

Zoom has led the charts for business conferencing apps in both February and March, but the number of search queries for Zoom in the App Store hasn't seen a similar spike, according to a similar report from analytics firm Sensor Tower - that could reflect that people are being referred to Zoom directly from their employers or schools.

Beyond business-focused apps, people are also downloading video conferencing apps meant for fun, according to the App Annie report. Houseparty, a social networking app that hosts video chat rooms, has seen a surge in downloads across Europe. The jump is especially pronounced in countries hit hard by the coronavirus like Spain, where Houseparty downloads were 2,360 times higher than the 2019 weekly average, and Italy, where Houseparty saw a 423 times increase in downloads over 2019.

"It is an unprecedented time for the world and an incredibly dynamic time for mobile," App Annie wrote in its report. "We are seeing shifts in consumer behavior surface daily across virtually every sector."

App Annie and Sensor Tower both provide unique insights into app download metrics that official vendors, like the iOS App Store and Google Play Store, don't publish. The analytics firms do so by collecting data through other unrelated apps that they own, including VPN services and ad blockers.

And get the latest coronavirus analysis and research from Business Insider Intelligence on how COVID-19 is impacting businesses.