Apptopia’s first-12-days read puts Meta’s MUSE ahead of ChatGPT’s early mobile launch — and glasses support is still “COMING SOON” two days before CONNECT.
Powered by AI published fresh Apptopia ESTIMATES late September 21 (ET) / early September 22 (IST). The firm argues Muse is not only topping APP STORE RANKINGS — it is OUTPACING ChatGPT’s opening window on DOWNLOADS and DAILY ACTIVE USERS when the comparison is held to U.S. and Canada iOS.
The Numbers Apptopia Is Using
Apptopia narrowed both apps to iOS in the U.S. and Canada for the FIRST 12 DAYS after each launch. On that slice, Muse logged about 1.8 MILLION downloads versus ChatGPT’s 1.3 MILLION in the same early window. Globally, Apptopia puts Muse at roughly 2.8 MILLION installs across its first 12 days.
Usage ESTIMATES move in the same direction. Apptopia cites about 642,000 U.S. daily active users for Muse versus 231,000 for ChatGPT at the matching point after launch. Narrowed to iOS alone, Muse still leads — about 359,000 DAU versus ChatGPT’s earlier figure.
Those are THIRD-PARTY estimates. Apptopia does not have Meta’s INTERNAL TELEMETRY. Even as ballpark figures, they are a sharper claim than a one-day chart SNAPSHOT.
Charts Already Flipped Once
MIXED and Apple’s own free chart put Muse at No. 1 on the U.S. free iPhone list on September 20, with ChatGPT at No. 2. 9to5Mac had already flagged that climb on September 18. Appfigures separately estimated about 1.1 MILLION devices reached through Friday of that week — almost entirely U.S., mostly App Store.
DOWNLOADS are not REVENUE. Apple’s top-grossing chart still favored ChatGPT in the September 20 MIXED reading, and Muse sat outside the top 50 on that money list. Appfigures also estimated Muse earned about $27K after fees in its first 11 days, versus roughly $175K for Grok Bot over a comparable window — a reminder that curiosity installs are cheaper to buy than PAID HABIT.
Why Glasses Care
Meta’s September 8 newsroom post introduced Muse as a PERSONAL AGENT that “does the work,” running inside Muse Secure VM with a separate SENTINEL gate before actions hit the internet. The same post says Muse is rolling out in the U.S. on iOS, Android, and muse.ai — and is “COMING SOON to AI glasses,” without a date.
That line is the XR HOOK. Camera-free Luna frames and Project Phoenix both sit on the Connect AGENDA for September 23–24. An agent that can FILL forms, BOOK travel, and keep WORKING after the phone screen locks is a cleaner fit for FACEWEAR than a chat box that needs a keyboard.
Apptopia also notes overlap with Meta’s social GRAPH: more than 95% of Muse users are Facebook users and about 63% are Instagram users. Threads-style CROSS-PROMOTION is the obvious lever — and glasses DISTRIBUTION would ride the same identity STACK.
What Connect Still Has to Prove
Two days from the KEYNOTE, Meta still has not said which glasses get Muse, or when. Chart LEADERSHIP and early download VELOCITY buy attention. They do not prove that agentic workflows will feel NATURAL on a slim temple arm, or that privacy critics will accept six MICROPHONES as a camera-free trade.
For now the public record is narrower: Muse is installing FASTER than ChatGPT did in its first mobile fortnight on a matched U.S./Canada iOS cut, DAU estimates lean the same way, paid conversion is still MUTED, and the glasses promise remains UNSCHEDULED. Connect is where Meta has to turn that mobile SURGE into a facewear DEMO — or admit the agent stays a phone PRODUCT a little longer.
Sources: Powered by AI / Apptopia (Sep 21–22); Appfigures; MIXED Sep 20 chart; 9to5Mac Sep 18; Meta Newsroom — Introducing Muse.