Image AI models now drive app growth, beating chatbot upgrades | TechCrunch
Image model releases are driving growth for AI mobile apps, generating 6.5x more downloads than traditional model updates, according to a new report from app intelligence provider Appfigures.
For instance, ChatGPT and Gemini each added tens of millions of new downloads after releasing their respective image models, Appfigures found.
For Google’s Gemini, the release of its image model Nano Banana drove an additional 22+ million downloads in the 28 days following the introduction of the Gemini 2.5 Flash image model last August. This launch lifted the app’s downloads by more than 4x over that period, the data showed.
Image Credits:Appfigures
Meanwhile, ChatGPT added more than 12 million incremental installs in the 28 days after the introduction of its GPT-4o image model in March of last year. That’s roughly 4.5x more downloads than it saw for its GPT-4o, GPT-4.5, and GPT-5 model releases, Appfigures pointed out.
Other model releases followed similar trends, though on a smaller scale. Meta AI’s introduction of its AI video feed Vibes added an estimated 2.6 million incremental downloads in the 28 days after its September 2025 release. (Yes, technically, this is a video model, but it’s ultimately about visual content, not just text.)
Image Credits:Appfigures
Still, the report cautioned, additional downloads don’t always translate into increased mobile revenue.
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Instead, new image model releases give people a reason to install the app and try out its improved image-generation capabilities. That doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily convert to paying subscribers. For example, Appfigures noted that Nano Banana drove only $181,000 in estimated gross consumer spending during the 28-day window following its release, even though it produced a larger spike in downloads than ChatGPT’s 4o image model release.
Meta AI’s launch of Vibes also led to additional downloads, but no meaningful revenue.
Among the three, only ChatGPT turned the increased attention into actual dollars.
OpenAI’s 4o image-generation model led to an estimated $70 million in gross consumer spending over the 28 days after its launch, compared with its prior baseline, Appfigures said.
Image Credits:Appfigures
The company also looked at DeepSeek in its analysis, but it didn’t fit the pattern.
While DeepSeek R1 drove 28 million downloads after its January 2025 release, it wasn’t a typical model comparison event. This was DeepSeek’s breakout moment, when it went from being relatively unknown to an overnight sensation as the tech industry learned about the techniques it used to train its AI models at a fraction of the cost of its competitors. This case highlights how curiosity can drive downloads — though in this instance, the interest wasn’t tied to an image model.
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
Image model releases are driving growth for AI mobile apps, generating 6.5x more downloads than traditional model updates, according to a new report from app intelligence provider Appfigures.
This marks a shift from earlier days, when the release of new models powering the conversational experiences drove more demand, alongside the new features like a voice chat interface.
For instance, ChatGPT and Gemini each added tens of millions of new downloads after releasing their respective image models, Appfigures found.
For Google’s Gemini, the release of its image model Nano Banana drove an additional 22+ million downloads in the 28 days following the introduction of the Gemini 2.5 Flash image model last August. This launch lifted the app’s downloads by more than 4x over that period, the data showed.
Image Credits:Appfigures
Meanwhile, ChatGPT added more than 12 million incremental installs in the 28 days after the introduction of its GPT-4o image model in March of last year. That’s roughly 4.5x more downloads than it saw for its GPT-4o, GPT-4.5, and GPT-5 model releases, Appfigures pointed out.
Other model releases followed similar trends, though on a smaller scale. Meta AI’s introduction of its AI video feed Vibes added an estimated 2.6 million incremental downloads in the 28 days after its September 2025 release. (Yes, technically, this is a video model, but it’s ultimately about visual content, not just text.)
Image Credits:Appfigures
Still, the report cautioned, additional downloads don’t always translate into increased mobile revenue.
Techcrunch event
San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026
Instead, new image model releases give people a reason to install the app and try out its improved image-generation capabilities. That doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily convert to paying subscribers. For example, Appfigures noted that Nano Banana drove only $181,000 in estimated gross consumer spending during the 28-day window following its release, even though it produced a larger spike in downloads than ChatGPT’s 4o image model release.
Meta AI’s launch of Vibes also led to additional downloads, but no meaningful revenue.
Among the three, only ChatGPT turned the increased attention into actual dollars.
OpenAI’s 4o image-generation model led to an estimated $70 million in gross consumer spending over the 28 days after its launch, compared with its prior baseline, Appfigures said.
Image Credits:Appfigures
The company also looked at DeepSeek in its analysis, but it didn’t fit the pattern.
While DeepSeek R1 drove 28 million downloads after its January 2025 release, it wasn’t a typical model comparison event. This was DeepSeek’s breakout moment, when it went from being relatively unknown to an overnight sensation as the tech industry learned about the techniques it used to train its AI models at a fraction of the cost of its competitors. This case highlights how curiosity can drive downloads — though in this instance, the interest wasn’t tied to an image model.
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
buy Razer Gold online show how funding a wallet can help unlock exclusive game items, bonus points, or discounted content across many platforms.
Traditional payment routes come with friction. Waiting on transfers, dealing with surprise foreign transaction fees, and entering card information again for each new site can stretch a simple moment into a tedious process. Digital wallets cut this down to a few taps or clicks. They unify purchase histories, hold multiple payment options, and mask your actual card number, drastically reducing fraud risk. These perks are not only attractive, they’re quickly becoming essential for buyers who value both privacy and speed.
When looking for digital games, players often do a quick search only to find that platform stores like the PlayStation Store may have high prices or regional restrictions. Eneba gives those shopping for new titles or DLC a much wider range of game keys, often below standard store prices. Game keys are unique codes that can be redeemed for full games or content, buy a PlayStation code on Eneba, redeem it in your account, and the game appears in your library instantly. The catalog is vast, with instant code delivery, clear info about global versus region-locked content, and a support system in place. Gift cards for Xbox, PSN, and Steam are also available, turning top-ups into a hassle-free option. Crucially, Eneba verifies its merchants and maintains compliance checks so the buying experience is safe and reliable.
Digital wallets don’t just serve gamers, though. They unlock new ways to handle subscriptions, buy digital art, or access streaming services. Their real appeal is in how they make every transaction less of a process and more of a click. This shift in user expectation is subtle but profound, echoing through every part of digital commerce.
Security has become a hot topic. Payment fraud, identity theft, and data breaches drive demand for alternatives to typing out full card details. Digital wallets blend strong encryption with multi-factor authentication. These layers of protection help users manage risk without adding complexity to already busy lives. For those spending on unfamiliar sites, using a wallet adds an extra safeguard, keeping personal details out of harm’s way.
The integration of reward systems is another reason digital wallets have become staples for online buyers. Topping up with game-specific currency or third-party credits can give you cashback, bonus points, or early access offers. This builds loyalty without forcing users to stick to just one shop or ecosystem.
Digital wallets continue to grow by adapting to what users want next: more currencies, more integrations, and fewer barriers between platforms and regions. Their evolution keeps driving innovation, not just for gaming but for all forms of online spending.
Digital marketplaces like Eneba offering deals on all things digital have helped refine what buyers now expect from every online purchase: instant, secure, and tailored to their needs. As competition heats up, it’s clear that digital wallets are here to shape the future of online transactions.
buy Razer Gold online show how funding a wallet can help unlock exclusive game items, bonus points, or discounted content across many platforms.
Traditional payment routes come with friction. Waiting on transfers, dealing with surprise foreign transaction fees, and entering card information again for each new site can stretch a simple moment into a tedious process. Digital wallets cut this down to a few taps or clicks. They unify purchase histories, hold multiple payment options, and mask your actual card number, drastically reducing fraud risk. These perks are not only attractive, they’re quickly becoming essential for buyers who value both privacy and speed.
When looking for digital games, players often do a quick search only to find that platform stores like the PlayStation Store may have high prices or regional restrictions. Eneba gives those shopping for new titles or DLC a much wider range of game keys, often below standard store prices. Game keys are unique codes that can be redeemed for full games or content, buy a PlayStation code on Eneba, redeem it in your account, and the game appears in your library instantly. The catalog is vast, with instant code delivery, clear info about global versus region-locked content, and a support system in place. Gift cards for Xbox, PSN, and Steam are also available, turning top-ups into a hassle-free option. Crucially, Eneba verifies its merchants and maintains compliance checks so the buying experience is safe and reliable.
Digital wallets don’t just serve gamers, though. They unlock new ways to handle subscriptions, buy digital art, or access streaming services. Their real appeal is in how they make every transaction less of a process and more of a click. This shift in user expectation is subtle but profound, echoing through every part of digital commerce.
Security has become a hot topic. Payment fraud, identity theft, and data breaches drive demand for alternatives to typing out full card details. Digital wallets blend strong encryption with multi-factor authentication. These layers of protection help users manage risk without adding complexity to already busy lives. For those spending on unfamiliar sites, using a wallet adds an extra safeguard, keeping personal details out of harm’s way.
The integration of reward systems is another reason digital wallets have become staples for online buyers. Topping up with game-specific currency or third-party credits can give you cashback, bonus points, or early access offers. This builds loyalty without forcing users to stick to just one shop or ecosystem.
Digital wallets continue to grow by adapting to what users want next: more currencies, more integrations, and fewer barriers between platforms and regions. Their evolution keeps driving innovation, not just for gaming but for all forms of online spending.
Digital marketplaces like Eneba offering deals on all things digital have helped refine what buyers now expect from every online purchase: instant, secure, and tailored to their needs. As competition heats up, it’s clear that digital wallets are here to shape the future of online transactions.
#Digital #Wallets #Ultimate #GameChanger #Online #PurchasesAndroid Gaming,console gaming,desktop gaming">Are Digital Wallets the Ultimate Game-Changer for Online Purchases?
Trust in online payments has never been as important as it is right now. For anyone who spends money across digital platforms, the tools we use to pay can shape the entire experience. Digital wallets stand out as more than a payment method, they’re a foundation for how fast, safe, and convenient every transaction can feel. Convenience might look like a buzzword, but for online shoppers, it’s the difference between an immediate purchase and a drawn-out checkout that breaks the flow.
Speed and flexibility are at the center of this shift. Today’s gamers, content subscribers, and e-commerce buyers have come to expect instant access, not just to their products, but to funds as well. Digital wallets answer the call, letting users transfer, store, and spend money in ways that traditional cards or slow bank payments can’t match. For those looking to stretch their value further, methods to buy Razer Gold online show how funding a wallet can help unlock exclusive game items, bonus points, or discounted content across many platforms.
Traditional payment routes come with friction. Waiting on transfers, dealing with surprise foreign transaction fees, and entering card information again for each new site can stretch a simple moment into a tedious process. Digital wallets cut this down to a few taps or clicks. They unify purchase histories, hold multiple payment options, and mask your actual card number, drastically reducing fraud risk. These perks are not only attractive, they’re quickly becoming essential for buyers who value both privacy and speed.
When looking for digital games, players often do a quick search only to find that platform stores like the PlayStation Store may have high prices or regional restrictions. Eneba gives those shopping for new titles or DLC a much wider range of game keys, often below standard store prices. Game keys are unique codes that can be redeemed for full games or content, buy a PlayStation code on Eneba, redeem it in your account, and the game appears in your library instantly. The catalog is vast, with instant code delivery, clear info about global versus region-locked content, and a support system in place. Gift cards for Xbox, PSN, and Steam are also available, turning top-ups into a hassle-free option. Crucially, Eneba verifies its merchants and maintains compliance checks so the buying experience is safe and reliable.
Digital wallets don’t just serve gamers, though. They unlock new ways to handle subscriptions, buy digital art, or access streaming services. Their real appeal is in how they make every transaction less of a process and more of a click. This shift in user expectation is subtle but profound, echoing through every part of digital commerce.
Security has become a hot topic. Payment fraud, identity theft, and data breaches drive demand for alternatives to typing out full card details. Digital wallets blend strong encryption with multi-factor authentication. These layers of protection help users manage risk without adding complexity to already busy lives. For those spending on unfamiliar sites, using a wallet adds an extra safeguard, keeping personal details out of harm’s way.
The integration of reward systems is another reason digital wallets have become staples for online buyers. Topping up with game-specific currency or third-party credits can give you cashback, bonus points, or early access offers. This builds loyalty without forcing users to stick to just one shop or ecosystem.
Digital wallets continue to grow by adapting to what users want next: more currencies, more integrations, and fewer barriers between platforms and regions. Their evolution keeps driving innovation, not just for gaming but for all forms of online spending.
Digital marketplaces like Eneba offering deals on all things digital have helped refine what buyers now expect from every online purchase: instant, secure, and tailored to their needs. As competition heats up, it’s clear that digital wallets are here to shape the future of online transactions.
From Lego, the new tie-in hotness is the “Hutt Palace Sentry Droid Showdown” set. With 415 pieces, owners can pit Din and Grogu against the Hutt Cartel’s three-armed sentry and its stud shooter. Once the beat the sentry and open the palace doors, they’ve got one other obstacle in Embo, everyone’s favorite Clone Wars-era bounty hunter. Along with his bowcaster, Embo’s got his own backup in his anooba Keibu.
In his earliest appearances, Embo had another named Marrok, but we know from the Aftermath: Empire’s End novel that one had died before the New Republic era. Canonically, it makes sense that Embo would get a new pet, but this probably also comes from other Star Wars projects like Ahsoka and Maul: Shadow Lord—which, like this movie, count Dave Filoni as a key creative—having an Inquisitor with the same name among their casts.
Newly named space dog aside, the set takes inspirartion from a fight we’ve seen in the final trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu wherein Din fights two sentry droids and Grogu tries to shut one of them down. Fans of the movie could recreate that fight beat for beat, or do their own version—maybe one where Din and Embo are buds, or Grogu solos everyone else. The choice is yours, but you’ll be waiting for a while to make it happen: the movie’s out on May 22, but the set’s available beginning August 1 for £44.99 (or roughly $53).
From Lego, the new tie-in hotness is the “Hutt Palace Sentry Droid Showdown” set. With 415 pieces, owners can pit Din and Grogu against the Hutt Cartel’s three-armed sentry and its stud shooter. Once the beat the sentry and open the palace doors, they’ve got one other obstacle in Embo, everyone’s favorite Clone Wars-era bounty hunter. Along with his bowcaster, Embo’s got his own backup in his anooba Keibu.
In his earliest appearances, Embo had another named Marrok, but we know from the Aftermath: Empire’s End novel that one had died before the New Republic era. Canonically, it makes sense that Embo would get a new pet, but this probably also comes from other Star Wars projects like Ahsoka and Maul: Shadow Lord—which, like this movie, count Dave Filoni as a key creative—having an Inquisitor with the same name among their casts.
Newly named space dog aside, the set takes inspirartion from a fight we’ve seen in the final trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu wherein Din fights two sentry droids and Grogu tries to shut one of them down. Fans of the movie could recreate that fight beat for beat, or do their own version—maybe one where Din and Embo are buds, or Grogu solos everyone else. The choice is yours, but you’ll be waiting for a while to make it happen: the movie’s out on May 22, but the set’s available beginning August 1 for £44.99 (or roughly $53).
#Legos #Mandalorian #Grogu #Set #Confirms #Silly #ChangeLego,Star Wars,The Mandalorian and Grogu">Lego’s New ‘Mandalorian & Grogu’ Set Confirms a Very Silly Name Change
From Lego, the new tie-in hotness is the “Hutt Palace Sentry Droid Showdown” set. With 415 pieces, owners can pit Din and Grogu against the Hutt Cartel’s three-armed sentry and its stud shooter. Once the beat the sentry and open the palace doors, they’ve got one other obstacle in Embo, everyone’s favorite Clone Wars-era bounty hunter. Along with his bowcaster, Embo’s got his own backup in his anooba Keibu.
In his earliest appearances, Embo had another named Marrok, but we know from the Aftermath: Empire’s End novel that one had died before the New Republic era. Canonically, it makes sense that Embo would get a new pet, but this probably also comes from other Star Wars projects like Ahsoka and Maul: Shadow Lord—which, like this movie, count Dave Filoni as a key creative—having an Inquisitor with the same name among their casts.
Newly named space dog aside, the set takes inspirartion from a fight we’ve seen in the final trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu wherein Din fights two sentry droids and Grogu tries to shut one of them down. Fans of the movie could recreate that fight beat for beat, or do their own version—maybe one where Din and Embo are buds, or Grogu solos everyone else. The choice is yours, but you’ll be waiting for a while to make it happen: the movie’s out on May 22, but the set’s available beginning August 1 for £44.99 (or roughly $53).
The performance boost on Geekbench is particularly striking, with the A16 scoring 50 to 100 percent faster than competing systems from AMD and Intel. It’s even faster than the Apple MacBook M4 Pro, the last Mac for which I have comparable benchmark scores. However, that Mac did beat the Asus on the Cinebench benchmark, but not by much, and the Asus now stands solidly in second place in my testing archive.
Graphics performance is much better than in previous generations of Snapdragon X chips, with frame rates quadrupling on average, depending on the test. That’s a dramatic and much-needed improvement for the CPU, and while no one will accuse the A16 of being a gaming rig, it does at least make for a workable experience with less taxing games and graphics-heavy workloads.
Beige Belies Performance
Photograph: Chris Null
I’m happy enough with how the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme performs to sign off on its performance claims, but there’s a lot more to the Zenbook A16 than its CPU.
Under the hood, the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme X2E94100 CPU is complemented by 48 GB of RAM and a 1-TB SSD. The 16-inch touchscreen offers a solid resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels, and it’s incredibly bright. A weight of 2.9 pounds is impressive (if not unheard of) for the 16-inch category, and at 0.65 inches (at its thickest), it has a svelte, quite portable carrying experience. Asus’s Ceraluminum technology (now with added magnesium) is used in the machine’s lid, base, and keyboard frame. That helps keep it thin and light, though when adjusted or touched, the screen shimmied more than I expected.
The performance boost on Geekbench is particularly striking, with the A16 scoring 50 to 100 percent faster than competing systems from AMD and Intel. It’s even faster than the Apple MacBook M4 Pro, the last Mac for which I have comparable benchmark scores. However, that Mac did beat the Asus on the Cinebench benchmark, but not by much, and the Asus now stands solidly in second place in my testing archive.
Graphics performance is much better than in previous generations of Snapdragon X chips, with frame rates quadrupling on average, depending on the test. That’s a dramatic and much-needed improvement for the CPU, and while no one will accuse the A16 of being a gaming rig, it does at least make for a workable experience with less taxing games and graphics-heavy workloads.
Beige Belies Performance
Photograph: Chris Null
I’m happy enough with how the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme performs to sign off on its performance claims, but there’s a lot more to the Zenbook A16 than its CPU.
Under the hood, the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme X2E94100 CPU is complemented by 48 GB of RAM and a 1-TB SSD. The 16-inch touchscreen offers a solid resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels, and it’s incredibly bright. A weight of 2.9 pounds is impressive (if not unheard of) for the 16-inch category, and at 0.65 inches (at its thickest), it has a svelte, quite portable carrying experience. Asus’s Ceraluminum technology (now with added magnesium) is used in the machine’s lid, base, and keyboard frame. That helps keep it thin and light, though when adjusted or touched, the screen shimmied more than I expected.
#Asus #Zenbook #Delivers #Great #Performance #Mediocre #Laptopasus,laptops,shopping,reviews,review,computers,qualcomm,windows">The Asus Zenbook 16 Delivers Great Performance in an Otherwise Mediocre Laptop
So, what’s not to like? Well, early compatibility problems slowed the initial uptake of Snapdragon X, and the CPU’s integrated graphics performance turned out to be pretty terrible. And to date, powerful onboard AI features just haven’t proven important, as most AI workloads are still being done in the cloud. With the second-generation X2, Qualcomm set out to deliver on the original promise of faster performance.
But what exactly does “faster” mean? As with most claims in the PC computing space, it’s all about the benchmarks. On the Zenbook A16, the tests I ran indeed showcased exemplary performance from the X2 Elite Extreme, in some of the most widely used benchmarking tools, namely Geekbench 6 and Cinebench 2024. (I don’t have enough competitive Cinebench 2026 results to make wide comparisons yet on that benchmark.)
The performance boost on Geekbench is particularly striking, with the A16 scoring 50 to 100 percent faster than competing systems from AMD and Intel. It’s even faster than the Apple MacBook M4 Pro, the last Mac for which I have comparable benchmark scores. However, that Mac did beat the Asus on the Cinebench benchmark, but not by much, and the Asus now stands solidly in second place in my testing archive.
Graphics performance is much better than in previous generations of Snapdragon X chips, with frame rates quadrupling on average, depending on the test. That’s a dramatic and much-needed improvement for the CPU, and while no one will accuse the A16 of being a gaming rig, it does at least make for a workable experience with less taxing games and graphics-heavy workloads.
Beige Belies Performance
Photograph: Chris Null
I’m happy enough with how the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme performs to sign off on its performance claims, but there’s a lot more to the Zenbook A16 than its CPU.
Under the hood, the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme X2E94100 CPU is complemented by 48 GB of RAM and a 1-TB SSD. The 16-inch touchscreen offers a solid resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels, and it’s incredibly bright. A weight of 2.9 pounds is impressive (if not unheard of) for the 16-inch category, and at 0.65 inches (at its thickest), it has a svelte, quite portable carrying experience. Asus’s Ceraluminum technology (now with added magnesium) is used in the machine’s lid, base, and keyboard frame. That helps keep it thin and light, though when adjusted or touched, the screen shimmied more than I expected.
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