Google is now the largest player in the app marketing space, leapfrogging Facebook in the total number of attributed installs for the first time, according to mobile attribution and marketing analytics firm AppsFlyer.

The ninth edition of the Performance Index marks Google’s growth in the reach of video and display placements down to its Android dominance. The tech giant experienced its fastest growth in Latin America (up 18 per cent) and Southeast Asia (up eight per cent).

Though Google may be ahead of Facebook for attributed installs, Facebook still holds on to its top spot in the Index’s global power rankings for ‘delivering high quality users in most regions and categories’.

Elsewhere, Apple Search Ads saw its share of the global app install market jump 82 per cent, a leap mainly down to launching Search Ads in 42 more countries and regions in the second quarter of this year. And the young upstart TikTok Ads saw its share grow tenfold, experiencing growth across APAC, North America, and EMEA and already taking its spot in the top 10 – even finishing ahead of Snapchat in that top 10.

“Looking back, we can see a persistent trend in the Growth Index. For most media sources, making the ranking is a one-time thing”, said Shani Rosenfelder, head of mobile insights at AppsFlyer. “That means maintaining growth in this hyper competitive space is very difficult, so companies must stay alert, recognise potential, and move fast to stay relevant. On a positive note, the fact that we see new companies with different types of products and qualities demonstrates that this industry has plenty of opportunities for those who can survive.”