Shopping apps from Temu and Shein have been named among the most downloaded free iPhone apps of the year in the UK from the Apple App Store.

The tech giant has published its annual lists of the most popular app downloads, which also named puzzle game Block Blast! as the most downloaded free game on the iPhone.

Another shopping app, second-hand marketplace Vinted, was the fourth-most downloaded free iPhone app of the year, just behind Meta’s X rival Threads.

The app for AI chatbot ChatGPT was fifth in that list, ahead of TikTok, the Tesco app, WhatsApp, Google and the Microsoft Authenticator app – used by any businesses to allow staff to remotely sign in to work apps such as Microsoft Teams.

On the iPad, gaming and creativity platform Roblox was named the most downloaded free game of the year, ahead of Block Blast!, with the top paid iPad app being art app Procreate.

The most popular free iPad app list was dominated by streaming services, with Disney+ topping the list ahead of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube, while BBC iPlayer and ITVX also made the top 10.

Like in previous years, apps to help users practise for their driving theory test were again popular with iPhone and iPad users, with the Driving Theory Test 4in 1 Kit app, and the Official DVSA Theory Test Kit featuring at the top of the most downloaded paid for iPhone apps list.

Both apps also appeared in the top 10 most downloaded paid iPad apps.