Welcome back to This Week in Apps, your weekly update on the latest news in mobile OS, applications, and the app economy. According to data.ai’s “State of Mobile” report, consumer spending in the app economy dropped by 2% to $167 billion in 2023. However, app downloads increased by 11% year-over-year to reach 255 billion, and consumers are spending more time in mobile apps than ever before. This Week in Apps provides a convenient way to stay up to date with this rapidly evolving industry, featuring updates on news, startup funding, mergers and acquisitions, and more. Sign up to receive This Week in Apps in your inbox every Saturday at techcrunch.com/newsletters.
Bluesky, an invite-only Twitter alternative, is gaining momentum among younger generations, with 40,000+ users so far. The app offers a party atmosphere with little intellectual conversation, but offers a fun place to experiment with new apps. Despite criticism of lacking many expected features, Bluesky’s ephemeral posts continue to engage users.
Snapchat’s new AI chatbot, My AI, is receiving negative reviews without warning or user consent. The AI is pinned at the top of the Chat tab in the app and cannot be unpinned or blocked. To remove it, users are forced to pay for a Snapchat+ subscription, which has led to increased complaints and negative reviews.
Apple and Meta (formerly Facebook) have won their respective antitrust lawsuits. Apple’s suit with Epic Games was upheld by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and Meta’s suit with state attorney generals was dismissed by a federal judge.
