Temu: Top Downloaded App in the US

Temu Remains Top Downloaded App in the U.S.

According to Apple’s recently released list of top apps and games, the Chinese shopping application Temu secured the position of the most downloaded free app in the United States. This marks a continuation of its success, having initially reached the No. 1 ranking in the previous year.

Temu’s ascent to the top spot occurred with a shift in rankings, displacing TikTok, which previously held the title throughout 2022.

Shifting App Landscape

TikTok, currently facing potential restrictions within the U.S., achieved the No. 3 position on this year’s list. It was surpassed by Meta’s Instagram Threads, which climbed to No. 2 after being the third most downloaded app in 2023.

Apple’s year-end list reflects actual consumer download activity, differing from selections made by App Store editors for “top apps” or “games of the year” recognition.

The Rise of AI: ChatGPT's Debut

Notably, 2024 represents the first year ChatGPT appears on Apple’s year-end list. Despite Apple’s editorial choices largely favoring apps geared towards creative professionals, the AI chatbot gained significant traction.

The “App of the Year” award was ultimately presented to Kino, a professional video application developed by the creators of the Halide camera app.

ChatGPT ranked as the fourth-most downloaded app on the U.S. App Store in 2024, exceeding the downloads of Google’s Search app. This is a significant change, as it did not appear in the top 10 last year following its iPhone release in May 2023.

Meta's Apps and Overall Rankings

While Meta’s applications remain prominent, their rankings have generally declined in recent years. Threads secured the No. 2 position, while Instagram and WhatsApp occupied the No. 6 and No. 7 spots, respectively.

Further down the list were CapCut, YouTube, Gmail, Google Maps, Shein, and Facebook at No. 13.

The top 20 is completed by Telegram, Snapchat, Cash App, Spotify, Max, McDonald’s, and Amazon.

Top Games of 2024

Apple also published lists detailing the most popular paid and free games, as well as top-performing Apple Arcade titles for 2024. Complete rankings are available on the App Store’s Today page.

The free game Block Blast!, inspired by Tetris, was the most downloaded in the U.S. this year.

It was followed by Monopoly Go!, Roblox, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, and Township.

NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition was the leading Apple Arcade title, with Snake.io+, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Sneaky Sasquatch, and Bloons TD 6+ also ranking highly.