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OpenAI’s ChatGPT tops Apple\u2019s download charts in the UAE for 2025, highlighting the rapid adoption of generative AI in the Middle East amid global trends and regional preferences.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
OpenAI’s ChatGPT was the most downloaded free iPhone app in the United Arab Emirates in 2025, according to Apple’s year-end App Store assessment, underscoring the rapid uptake of generative artificial intelligence on mobile devices across the region. The listing displaced Chinese shopping platform Temu, which fell to seventh place in the UAE ranking. [1]<\/a><\/sup>[2]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n The UAE’s top downloads list remained dominated by social platforms, with WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat among the most-used apps, while Google’s Gemini was the only other AI-focused app to break into the top 10, at sixth. Apple\u2019s current top-apps metrics , which factor downloads, earnings, engagement, reviews and search relevance , showed ChatGPT sitting fourth in live rankings behind Dubai Police, Google Gemini and delivery platform Keeta. [1]<\/a><\/sup>[2]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n On iPad, ChatGPT also ranked as the most downloaded free app for 2025 in the UAE, while paid charts highlighted locally relevant titles: Salatuk, an Islamic prayer-timing service, featured among the top paid apps and regional game Tarbaa placed in paid-games lists. Among paid utilities, proxy client Shadowrocket led the paid-app rankings. These placements signal both global and local demand shaping app-store behaviour in the Middle East. [1]<\/a><\/sup>[2]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n Industry context underlines why Apple pays close attention to app trends. According to Apple data cited in the year-end review, the App Store is a cornerstone of the company\u2019s services business and its wider hardware ecosystem; industry estimates put the platform\u2019s registered developers at roughly 30 million worldwide and developer billings and sales at about $1.3 trillion in 2024. Apple executives have described the Middle East as a high-potential market for developer talent and start-up growth. [1]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n Apple\u2019s move into generative AI has been prominent in explanations for ChatGPT\u2019s surge. The company teamed up with OpenAI last year and later launched Apple Intelligence, signalling that smartphone makers are racing to embed advanced AI features to retain and grow user bases. The National\u2019s reporting notes this partnership while retaining editorial distance from corporate claims about product impact. [1]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n The UAE rankings mirror wider global momentum. Other outlets reported ChatGPT topped Apple\u2019s US free-app chart and that during 2025 the app was among the most-downloaded worldwide, with industry tallies putting installs in the hundreds of millions and surpassing long-standing social leaders such as TikTok and Instagram in monthly and annual download counts. Those global figures, driven in part by capability upgrades to ChatGPT\u2019s multimodal and image-generation features, suggest the app\u2019s appeal extends well beyond one market. [3]<\/a><\/sup>[4]<\/a><\/sup>[5]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n Apple\u2019s year\u2011end lists also reflected its ongoing relationship with developers and the wider app economy: the company announced 17 winners in its 2025 App Store Awards earlier this month, with task-and-planning assistant Tiimo named iPhone app of the year. The combination of award recognition, heavy download volumes for AI tools and continuing investment from major platform owners illustrates how generative AI has become central to consumer app behaviour and platform strategies heading into 2026. [1]<\/a><\/sup>[3]<\/a><\/sup>[5]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n ##Reference Map:<\/p>\n\ud83d\udccc Reference Map:<\/h3>\n
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