Main trends
According to the SimilarWeb Mobile App Ranking the absolute leaders of the most popular mobile apps are the social media and the communication programs. They are closely followed by apps enabling photo and file sharing, and content editing apps.
Imo and Wechat are commonly used apps to replace Skype, which was banned by TeleYemen in 2010 because it provided an unauthorised communications service. Routekick is still popular among Yemenis and available also in Oman. It works like Uber and provides the customer any vehicle with a driver (motorcycle, car, mini-van, truck). It works also offline.
Due to the economic crisis in the country and the lack of cash in some areas, Yemen Kuwait Bank offers a new service linked to Yemen Mobile. YK bank provides customers full remote control of their accounts through mobile phones without the need of going to the bank: Customers can cash up their account, check it, withdraw from it. It’s basically the first time a collaboration between the main mobile company and a bank happens, something new for Yemen.
Other widespread apps are Imo and Wechat, used to make video calls, whose popularity is partly due to the fact that Skype was banned by TeleYemen in 2010 because it provided an unauthorised communications service.