Post-Rebrand: X’s Weekly Users Drop, Twitter Lite Installs Rise
After Elon Musk rebrands Twitter to X, there’s more to the story than reduced downloads. Post-rebrand, X’s weekly active users reduced by 4% from August 6 to August 20. The X app’s Overall category ranking also decreased four spots to No. 36. This is revealed by app intelligence firm Sensor Tower’s analysis. The rebrand triggered controversy and concerns about potential brand equity losses amounting to billions.
Initial reports revealed that according to Eric Seufert’s analysis in Mobile Dev Memo, Twitter’s Top Downloaded chart position dropped significantly on iOS and Android after it was renamed to X. But, there’s positive feedback for the renamed app. Despite the drop in chart position, revenue surprisingly increased after the rebrand. Between August 6 and August 20, revenue increased by approximately 25%, with a 24% increase from iOS being the primary driver, as observed by Sensor Tower.
Consumers faced confusion in app stores after re-branding. But tech-savvy users were aware of the name change, and mainstream consumers seeking Twitter encountered Twitter Lite instead. According to Sensor Tower, this contributed to a rise in Twitter Lite installations during the rebrand’s initial week, with downloads increasing by approximately 350%. The combined Twitter ecosystem, including X, experienced an 11% download rise, especially in India, the U.S., and Indonesia. But, X’s revenue was reduced by 3% in the same week due to an 8% decrease in iOS revenue.
The rebranding of X had consequences for other apps like Bluesky, Instagram Threads, and Mastodon. In the starting week (July 23-August 5) of the rebrand, Threads’ downloads reduced by 70%, Bluesky’s rose by 180%, and Mastodon’s by 15%. However, Threads saw a subsequent 50% download growth and increased the rankings. Bluesky and Mastodon experienced download falls of 25% and 40% respectively.
The “X-odus” is ongoing, as users search for a new platform. X’s app saw an 8% fall in installs, including a decrease of 22% on iOS and 18% on Android. However, Twitter Lite prospered, with a 50% rise in downloads. The brand name “Twitter” still influences app stores, attracting installs away from the renamed X.
