Temu Tops U.S. App Store as Global App Market Evolves
Dec/23/2024
Chinese shopping app Temu claimed the title of most downloaded free app in the U.S. App Store in 2024, surpassing Meta’s Threads and TikTok, which ranked second and third, respectively. Apple’s annual list of top apps also highlighted ChatGPT as the fourth-most downloaded app, marking its first appearance in the rankings, ahead of Google Search. Despite its dominance in downloads, the Apple App Store trails Google Play in app volume, with the latter hosting 1.68 million Android apps and driving 34 billion downloads in Q1 2024 alone. However, Apple maintains higher revenues, with users spending $25 billion on apps in Q2 2024. Emerging trends, including the European Union’s Digital Market Act, are shaking up the app distribution landscape by enabling third-party app stores for iOS, such as the recently launched Epic Games Store. With competition intensifying across platforms, Temu’s rise underscores the evolving dynamics of the global app ecosystem, where alternative marketplaces and shifting consumer preferences are reshaping the industry.
