Skip to main content

‘PUBG Mobile’ highlights Google Play’s most popular content for 2018

It’s the end of the year, and that means it’s time to start looking back at the year and the different tech trends that came up. Google announced its most popular Google Play content from 2018, including some of the top games for the year, the top movies watched on Google Play, and more.

Some of the most popular content — like PUBG Mobile — is expected. Some other content, however, isn’t necessarily something we would have guessed. PUBG Mobile was the most popular mobile game of the year, though we think Fornite might have taken it out if Fortnite was released to the Google Play Store. The most popular app, interestingly enough, was “Drops,” which helps you learn some of the most important words in different languages.

Recommended Videos

Google also announced the top movies of the year, and comic book movies took the majority of the top spots. Black Panther was the most popular, followed by Avengers: Infinity War, in second, Thor: Ragnarok in third, and Deadpool 2 in fifth. Jumanji 2 is the only non-superhero movie, which came in fourth place.

Then there are TV shows, and only one superhero show ended up in the list. The most popular TV show of the year on Google Play was The Walking Dead, followed by Riverdale in second, The Big Bang Theory in third, and The Flash in fourth place.

For the first time, Google also allowed users to vote on their favorite content for the year. In the “Fan Favorites” category, the most popular game was PUBG Mobile and the most popular movie Avengers: Infinity War. YouTube TV was voted the best app of the year.

Apart from those three categories, Google also announced that Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff was the most popular ebook, and 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson was the most popular audiobook.

Interested in checking out the most popular content on Google Play for yourself? Google has launched a new section in the Google Play Store called “Best of 2018,” in which you will be able to discover all the best content of the year and buy or download it for yourself.

Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
Here’s how your Android phone could help stop your motion sickness
Someone holding the Google Pixel 9 with the screen on.

Motion sickness — also called kinetosis — is a common problem. In fact, as many as one in three people have felt sick while in a vehicle. For those who suffer from it, reading in the car is practically impossible.

Apple introduced a feature that helps those prone to motion sickness use their phones without the accompanying nausea. Now, Google is working on a similar feature for Android phones.

Read more
Your Google Maps app is about to look different. Here’s what’s changing
Screenshot of the new teal color in the Google Maps app.

If you own an Android device such as a Samsung Galaxy S24 or Google Pixel 9 Pro, there is a small design update coming to the Google Maps app that aims to enhance its visual appearance and user experience. The app will be adopting a new interface color scheme, which could make navigation and interaction feel fresher.

As first reported by 9to5Google, Google Maps is set to change its signature blue accent for buttons and other user interface elements to a dark shade of teal.

Read more
The YouTube mobile app is getting a small redesign. Here’s what’s changing
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 playing a YouTube video.

How do you feel about the YouTube app on iOS and Android? Most of us use the app and don't think twice about it, but YouTube announced a lot of changes in October. Some of these planned updates have begun to roll out, and they're worth paying attention to — especially because one of them is difficult to notice. The updated bottom bar is a subtle change, but it adds a bit of flair.

The updated bottom bar is part of a server-side update, which means you don't have to download a new version of YouTube to see it. However, you should ensure you're using the latest version of the YouTube app. For Android, that's 19.47, and it's 19.49 for iOS. The update hasn't reached all devices yet — I still don't see it on my own phone — but it should be applied by the end of the day.

Read more