Aith 696 million downloads and a 4.5 rating in 2024, Instagram continues to dominate the market. But beyond these impressive figures, the Meta platform faces growing challenges. Its strategy focused on AI and content personalization allows it to maintain high engagement, but it also raises questions about the impact of these algorithms on users’ mental health and their relationship with targeted advertising. The integration of new features like Stories and Reels has undoubtedly contributed to its popularity. However, some criticisms are emerging about the intensive use of these tools to capture and retain the attention of young people, with potentially harmful effects on their well-being.
TikTok: a strong dependence on viral content
TikTok, with 654 million downloads, has been able to take advantage of its short video format and its powerful algorithm. In 2024, it remains one of young people’s favorite platforms. However, this model based on virality also has its limits. Content is quickly consumed and replaced, creating constant pressure for creators to stay relevant. TikTok’s success also relies on massive data collection to refine recommendations. However, this approach raises growing privacy concerns, particularly among minors who make up a large portion of its audience.
Still powerful, but under fire
Facebook, with 553 million downloads, maintains its place among the most popular applications, despite recurring scandals linked to data confidentiality. Its rating of 4.0 on the stores testifies to the loyalty of its audience, but also to the growing distrust of its practices. Indeed, the tight integration with Instagram allows it to maintain strong engagement, but this strategy has also attracted criticism regarding the concentration of power in Meta’s hands. The company faces increasingly strict regulations in several regions around the world, which could hamper its expansion in the future.
Safety first
WhatsApp, with its 475 million downloads, continues to dominate the secure messaging market. Its end-to-end encryption remains one of its main strengths, earning it a rating of 4.55. However, the application is regularly singled out for its integration into the Meta ecosystem, raising concerns about data protection. Telegram, with its 355 million downloads, also benefits from its secure messaging image. Its advanced features, like secret chats and self-destruct messages, attract a privacy-conscious audience. However, the platform is sometimes criticized for its use by controversial groups who exploit this privacy for malicious purposes.
Creativity to appeal to younger generations
CapCut, the video editing app, recorded 389 million downloads in 2024. Its ease of use and integration with TikTok make it a must-have tool for visual content creators. However, growing competition in the video editing sector could slow its progress in the coming years. Snapchat, which has 330 million downloads, remains popular with young people thanks to its augmented reality filters and interactive formats. However, the platform is struggling to reinvent itself in the face of competitors like Instagram and TikTok who have integrated similar features. If Snapchat fails to innovate further, its user base could decline.
Threads and ChatGPT take over the market
In 2024, two new applications are starting to make their way into the digital landscape. Threads, launched by Meta to compete with X (formerly Twitter), has already reached 28 million downloads. However, the success of this platform remains uncertain, as it is still in the adoption phase and needs to prove its long-term appeal. For its part, ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence application developed by OpenAI, entered the top 10 with 19 million downloads in August 2024. The craze for artificial intelligence could propel this application even higher in the ranking, but it will have to overcome challenges related to data privacy and user expectations regarding the ethical limits of AI.
In 2024, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook still dominate the mobile app market. But behind these successes lie major challenges: concerns about data privacy, users’ mental health and the ethical practices of these digital giants. As new trends emerge with Threads and ChatGPT, the app market remains in flux, and the ability of these platforms to adapt to user expectations while maintaining ethical standards will be crucial to their future.
