Apple has revealed its list of the most downloaded applications for 2025 in the US, which this year has a very interesting point and a big surprise. As AI applications like ChatGPT have emerged as the most downloaded free apps on iPhones, it has clearly surpassed regular social apps and important tools like Google Maps, reflecting that artificial intelligence is becoming a part of the daily use of modern users.
This AI application used to climb to the top 4 last year, but in 2023, it hasn’t even made the top ten at all. Despite its launch on the iPhone in the middle of the year, the support over the past year has helped propel ChatGPT to the top spot, ahead of popular social applications and other major services such as Threads, Google, TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Google Maps.
ChatGPT’s rise signals the possibility that OpenAI may begin to challenge Google’s role in the mobile search market, as many users choose to ask answers through chatbots first. However, many of Google’s applications remain at the top as before. It shows that search engines and mapping services are still important, but users’ search behavior may have already begun to change.
In addition to the free apps category, Apple also revealed a full list of the most popular apps and games, both free and paid, on iPhone and iPad. On the iPad side, the number one free app is YouTube, and the Procreate app continues to dominate the paid app category.
On the iPad side of gaming, familiar names like Roblox, Fortnite, and Township are at the top, while this year’s lineup for Apple Arcade is led by NFL Retro Bowl ’26, NBA 2K25 Arcade Edition, and Balatro+, which continue to be popular with users who prefer to play games on a monthly subscription.
An overview from this year’s App Store Downloads report shows the rapidly growing influence of AI. Combined with the popularity of games that continue to drive massive downloads on Apple devices, the top lists all reflect user behavior in an era where entertainment, work, and information are all perfectly integrated on mobile platforms. origin
Source: Techcrunch
