Remini App Becomes Viral Sensation, Tops App Store Charts
There seems to be a new popular app in town! After holding the top spot in the App Store’s list of top apps for a while, Threads, Meta’s text-based platform powered by Instagram, has been overtaken by another competitor. Surprisingly, it’s not a new app that took its place, but rather an app that has been quietly around since 2019 and has suddenly gained immense popularity. This app is called Remini, an AI photo editing app. So, what caused its sudden rise in popularity and high ratings in 2023? The answer lies in TikTok.
By now, no one is surprised by TikTok’s ability to make people, apps, songs, and even products go viral. The platform is credited with launching the careers of rapper and singer Lil Nas X and Doja Cat, as well as creating globally viral trends such as Dalgona Coffee, Vaseline under the eyes, and the Wednesday dance moves from the popular Netflix show of the same name. So when TikTok found out about Remini, things had to go that way. But why now? Why suddenly?
Remini’s rise to the top
Remini was released as a simple photo editing app in 2019, and while it offered some interesting features, what stood out was its photo enhancement capabilities. Users can submit a blurry or out of focus image and it can be enhanced to make the subject appear clearer. The same can be done for old physical photos that have fallen victim to overexposure. While this had made the app a popular option for those looking for such a solution, Remini had by no means become the household name it is today.
Things changed for the platform after it added a generative AI feature in 2022 that lets you create professional headshots that you can use on your CV, portfolio or even LinkedIn. And all you have to do is upload a selfie.
And when a TikTok user discovered the feature and published it on the platform, everyone started doing the same, and soon it became a challenge to see who could create the biggest change using the app.
Of course, the real winner here was Remini, who saw a massive increase in downloads. Data from app analytics firm Apptopia shows that the AI photo editor has seen more than 22 million downloads in the past 30 days, according to a TechCrunch report. In addition, the app has also recorded more than 20 million daily active users (DAUs) on July 19 and 20.
The combined effort of this saw Remini quickly become a TikTok darling and on July 11th, it unseated Threads. Remini currently has a 4.6 rating on the App Store with over 124,000 reviews.
Undoubtedly, Remini is riding the waves of social media, but TikTok’s graveyard is full of past trends, and fate will come to this app as well. What will be interesting is if the company behind the app can use this momentum to continue adding new features to stay relevant and serve its customers, or if it will fade into mediocrity like so many others.
