Sora's downloads have dropped by 32% in December, following a record launch, as competition and copyright issues impact its popularity.
Sora, the innovative video generation app, is experiencing a significant decline in user engagement after a strong start. Recent data from Appfigures indicates that both downloads and overall popularity are waning.
Upon its launch, the iOS version of Sora 2 achieved over 100,000 installations on its debut day, surpassing 1 million downloads faster than ChatGPT, despite being invite-only.
However, this momentum did not last long. By December, downloads had plummeted by 32% compared to November, and January saw only 1.2 million downloads. This drop comes during a time typically characterized by increased app usage due to holiday gift-giving.
Overall, Sora has reached 9.6 million downloads across iOS and Android platforms, with users spending approximately $1.4 million within the app, primarily in the U.S. market.
Sora allows users to craft brief videos using prompts, featuring a unique option to include themselves or friends as characters. Users can also edit videos created by others, adding music and sound effects.
Despite its earlier success, Sora has now fallen out of the top 100 free apps in the U.S. App Store, indicating a significant shift in user interest.
Factors Behind the Decline
The decline in Sora's downloads can be attributed to several competitive pressures. Notably, Google's Nano Banana model has emerged as a formidable rival, bolstering Gemini's market position.
Additionally, Sora faces competition from Meta AI, which offers AI-generated Vibes videos. The startup Runway has also intensified competition with its Gen 4.5 model, which has performed well in independent evaluations.
Furthermore, Sora encountered copyright challenges as users created videos featuring well-known characters like SpongeBob and Pikachu, leading to stricter content regulations. Although a deal with Disney in December allowed the use of its characters, this did not translate into an uptick in downloads.
In October, the app was also affected by the prevalence of deepfakes involving Sam Altman, further complicating its market position.
