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Interesting Mobile App Growth Trends in December
In December, we noticed some interesting changes across various categories of apps, including "Squid Game: Unleashed", "Netflix", "ChatGPT", and "Duolingo". Let's dive deeper into these apps and explore what's been happening with them!
Release Time : 2025-01-13
Last updated : 2025-01-13
Phenomenal hit series "Squid Game" aired three years ago, and now, to global anticipation, its sequel "Squid Game 2" finally premiered on Netflix on December 26, 2024.
It quickly topped Netflix's global non-English TV show rankings, securing the No.1 spot in 92 countries and regions.
It quickly topped Netflix's global non-English TV show rankings, securing the No.1 spot in 92 countries and regions.
As part of the lead-up, Netflix officially launched the mobile game "Squid Game: Unleashed" on December 17.
For the first time, it was available for free to play for a limited time, and you didn't need to be a Netflix subscriber to join the 32-player battle royale-style game.
For the first time, it was available for free to play for a limited time, and you didn't need to be a Netflix subscriber to join the 32-player battle royale-style game.
Did this game become the winner among mobile games in December?
Thanks to the popularity of "Squid Game 2," not only did the game become a winner, but Netflix also broke its historical record for average daily user acquisition.
Which other apps demonstrated significant trends in December?
Let's explore the notable growth trends of "Squid Game: Unleashed", "Netflix", "ChatGPT", and "Duolingo" in December！
Squid Game: Unleashed
In just 14 days, "Squid Game: Unleashed" surpassed 4.77 million downloads worldwide, far outpacing other new games released that month.
What sets "Squid Game: Unleashed" apart is that it was available for free to all users, unlike other Netflix mobile games that require a subscription. This strategy clearly helped attract a wide range of players.
Compared to other new games released in December, such as "Infinity Nikki" and "GIRLS' FRONTLINE 2: EXILIUM," "Squid Game: Unleashed," which launched on December 17, showed a more positive trend in user acquisition.
The other two games saw a peak in downloads on their release day but quickly experienced a downward trend in daily downloads, indicating a lack of sustained user interest.
💡 Read More: Infinity Nikki Skyrockets to Nearly 1 Million Downloads in Just One Week—A Phenomenal Success?
According to the global downloads of "Squid Game: Unleashed," the game did not achieve an astonishing number of downloads on its release day.
However, it showed a more positive trend over time.
Downloads on both the App Store and Google Play increased steadily day by day.
Why was "Squid Game: Unleashed" the biggest winner among new games in December?
In addition to showing a positive download trend, it also became the biggest winner among new games in December due to its substantial actual download numbers!
According to the Downloads / Revenue Charts, within just 14 days of its release, "Squid Game: Unleashed" was the only new game to break into the Top 15 of the App Store's December download rankings with 2,850,840 downloads.
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Netflix
The global popularity of "Squid Game 2" not only impacted "Squid Game: Unleashed" but also further boosted Netflix's overall popularity.
Back in November, Netflix experienced its largest single-day download increase in over four years, thanks to a live boxing match.
According to the Global Downloads of Netflix, December saw another significant spike in daily downloads during the Christmas period.
This surge was driven by holiday sports events and the release of "Squid Game 2" on December 26, once again breaking records.
On the App Store, there was noticeable growth on December 25, reaching its December peak with 342,171 global downloads on December 29.
This surge was driven by holiday sports events and the release of "Squid Game 2" on December 26, once again breaking records.
On the App Store, there was noticeable growth on December 25, reaching its December peak with 342,171 global downloads on December 29.
On Google Play, influenced by the release of "Squid Game 2," there was a significant increase in downloads starting on December 26.
This surge led to Netflix achieving its highest-ever daily download number on Google Play, with 565,370 downloads on December 28.
This surge led to Netflix achieving its highest-ever daily download number on Google Play, with 565,370 downloads on December 28.
ChatGPT
December was unsurprisingly another record-breaking month globally for ChatGPT.
- App Store:$21, 582, 545
- Google Play: S5, 339, 314
👉 Click here to view ChatGPT's global revenue performance for 2024.
In the fourth quarter, ChatGPT's revenue was $69,256,847, which accounted for 36.56% of its total income for 2024.
The majority of ChatGPT's revenue comes from the App Store, with the Q4 revenue split between the App Store and Google Play being approximately 4:1.
According to market segments, ChatGPT's revenue growth on the App Store in Q4 ranked among the top 2 in the app market, with a quarter-over-quarter growth rate of 380.48%.
In the fourth quarter, ChatGPT's revenue was $69,256,847, which accounted for 36.56% of its total income for 2024.
The majority of ChatGPT's revenue comes from the App Store, with the Q4 revenue split between the App Store and Google Play being approximately 4:1.
According to market segments, ChatGPT's revenue growth on the App Store in Q4 ranked among the top 2 in the app market, with a quarter-over-quarter growth rate of 380.48%.
Duolingo
Duolingo's revenue pattern is similar to that of a gym, with significant increases in December and January each year, followed by a dip in February, and then continued growth.
According to FoxData-App Intelligence, the app broke its historical monthly revenue record on the App Store in December 2024, with earnings of $23,978,272.
Before December 28th, Duolingo's daily revenue hadn't even surpassed the daily average. However, starting on December 28th, the revenue skyrocketed
Using FoxData's Events Node, we quickly found out that Duolingo kicked off a 60% off promo on December 28th. This in-app event led to a big jump in Duolingo's revenue.
📒Note: The orange dots in the chart represent Events Nodes, corresponding to Text Metadata, Classification Metadata, App Behavior like In-App Events, and Custom Events.
You can confirm the events at specific times by clicking on the orange dots, and use the trend chart to determine whether these events had an impact on the app's performance, such as its global revenue.
If you wish to conduct your own research, remember to click on the orange dots to jump to the ASO Impact Analysis and view specific events.
💡If you have any questions about how to utilize this feature, here is a guide：How "ASO Impact Analysis" Helps Monitor Your Competitors and Evaluate Your App's Every Update
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