I crunched the numbers and ranked the most downloaded mobile apps in the world. November's ranks didn't change who's on top, but did put more distance between the leaders and everyone else.
Can you guess what I'm talking about?
AI...
ChatGPT was once again the most downloaded app worldwide, reaching 45M new downloads across the App Store and Google Play, according to our estimates. It ranked #1 on Google Play with 36M downloads and #2 on the App Store with 10M, making it one of the few apps dominating both stores at the same time.
And ChatGPT wasn't alone at the top. AI rival Gemini also made the cut again, earning the #4 spot with 31M estimated downloads. What's interesting to see is that Gemini was the #1 app in the App Store in November, ahead of ChatGPT by a few downloads.
The rivalry is clear, and it's why OpenAI just released an update to ChatGPT Images, which takes on Gemini's Nano Banana directly. So far, OpenAI hasn't been able to match Google's creative abilities, but I don't expect them to stop trying.
TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook round out the top 5 in November with minimal movement. TikTok stayed at #2 with 37M estimated downloads, while Instagram climbed to #3 with 35M estimated downloads. Facebook followed with 27M estimated downloads, mostly coming from India - a trend that isn't new anymore.
It's clear that AI is here to stay, at the top, having overtaken the old guard. ChatGPT has the brand, and Google has the reach, but at some point, they will stop subsidizing subscriptions, and the cost will skyrocket (just like streaming apps and Uber).
I think the evolution will be AI making its way into more apps. Those who use it well will rise to the top. Not because they "have AI" but because they have a better user experience.
According to Appfigures Intelligence, the top 10 most downloaded apps saw 277M combined downloads in November, a smidge higher than October's total.
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