More Vietnamese mobile internet users access social networks daily than any other activity with their device, reported Appota in its report on the Vietnamese mobile market in the first months of 2017.

The country also has 131.9 million mobile subscribers and 38 million social network users.

Some 94 per cent of mobile internet users accessed social networks daily, with other popular uses text messaging (91 per cent), searching (87 per cent), entertainment (73 per cent), music (72 per cent), games (67 per cent) and news and weather (65 per cent).

Less popular activities included shopping and e-commerce (43 per cent), travelling (42 per cent) and reading (39 per cent).

Viet Nam ranks 16th among the 20 countries with the most internet users in the world with 49 million people, the report said. The country also has 38 million social network users.

The number of people using mobile only to access the internet in Viet Nam, especially from 18 to 34 years old, is higher than those using computers or various devices.

The ratio is quite high compared to other countries in the region such as Singapore and Malaysia, said the surveyor.

In addition, Android users in Viet Nam account for 68 per cent of total smart phone users, while iOS users make up 25 per cent.

Appota also revealed the most downloaded messaging applications in Viet Nam last year. Zalo ranks first with 80 per cent of users having the app on their phone, followed by Facebook Messenger with 73 per cent, Viber 40 per cent, Skype 37 per cent and Line 18 per cent.

Appota said that it collected data on the mobile market with help from Google. It also consulted documents from other sources such as mobile analyst Euromonitor; Q&Me, Apteligent, App Annine and Comscore to have a complete report.

Appota is the leading mobile platform provider in Viet Nam with more than 30 million users, is partners with over 15,000 developers, advertisers, and merchants worldwide, and operates in Ha Noi, HCM City, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Last year, Appota was selected as one of only four companies in Asia to work with Google in deploying its Mobile Ad Exchange platform.

Appota last month also announced that it finished the first closing of a Series-C funding round from two preeminent investment funds from South Korea, Korea Investment Partners (KIP) and Mirae Asset Venture Investment.

This is Appota’s third funding round since its inception more than five years ago. Appota secured a series A round from VNP-Group in 2012, and a series B round from GMO Global Payment Fund and Golden Gate Ventures in 2014. 

VNS