Gate News message, April 19 — Worldwide app launches rose 60% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026 across Apple’s App Store and Google Play, according to market intelligence firm Appfigures. The growth accelerated further in April, with releases climbing 104% to date despite ongoing concerns that AI chatbots and emerging devices could shift user engagement away from traditional apps.
On iOS alone, releases increased 80% in Q1 and 89% in April to date. Games remained the dominant category for new launches, followed by utilities, lifestyle, productivity, and health apps. iOS now accounts for approximately 77% of new subscription app launches, up from 67% in 2023.
AI applications are driving part of this expansion. About 27% of subscription apps now incorporate AI technology, with consumers spending over $1.4 billion on AI apps in 2024. AI-powered apps convert downloads to paid subscriptions 20% faster at the median than non-AI apps and generate 41% higher realized lifetime value per paying user within one year. However, retention rates remain weaker for AI apps, with 21.1% of annual plan users retained after 12 months compared to 30.7% for non-AI apps. Refund rates are also higher for AI apps at 4.2% versus 3.5% for non-AI apps.
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