Google's "Go" app variants are a certified hit, even if a large portion of Android users can't actually use them. Gmail Go, the lighter and less resource-intensive version of Gmail designed for handsets running Android Go, has now secured at least half a billion downloads in the Play Store.

Despite its intentional limitations, Gmail Go gives users access to every account and message connected to their Gmail address, plus the system's flexible search tool, and it comes pre-installed on all devices running Android Go. That probably accounts for the vast majority of its downloads (and Play Store updates), as Google claims that 80% of entry-level Android phone across 180 countries and 1600 individual device SKUs run the stripped-down operating system.

Gmail Go is still lagging behind the standard version of Gmail in terms of downloads, with the latter passing 5 billion. If you want to check out Gmail Go on a more powerful device with more than 2GB of RAM, you'll have to venture off of the Play Store. The latest versions are available on APK Mirror, though you may need Google Play Services in order for it to actually work on your phone or tablet.