Report says image AI launches drive more app downloads than chat updates

In short: A new Appfigures report says AI apps get many more downloads when they launch new image making features than when they upgrade their chat models.

What's going on

App intelligence firm Appfigures looked at what happens when popular AI mobile apps release new “image models” (the part of an AI system that creates pictures, like a new engine inside the app). It found these visual launches generate about 6.5 times more downloads than more traditional model updates focused on chat.

The report points to big examples. Google’s Gemini saw more than 22 million additional downloads in the 28 days after it introduced its “Nano Banana” image model, tied to the Gemini 2.5 Flash image update. Appfigures says that was more than four times Gemini’s usual download level in that period.

ChatGPT also saw a jump. Appfigures estimates it added more than 12 million extra installs in the 28 days after it introduced its GPT-4o image model. The report says that spike was roughly 4.5 times larger than the bumps seen around other ChatGPT model releases.

What to watch

More downloads do not automatically mean more money. Appfigures says Gemini’s Nano Banana launch brought in an estimated $181,000 in gross consumer spending over 28 days, while Meta AI’s “Vibes” video feed drove downloads but no meaningful revenue.

In Appfigures’ analysis, only ChatGPT turned the image launch buzz into major revenue, with an estimated $70 million in gross consumer spending over 28 days. For consumers, this likely means AI apps will keep promoting new photo and video features, even if subscriptions do not rise at the same pace.

Source: TechCrunch AI