Applications
MTV releases study on apps` lifecycle
MUMBAI: MTV Networks (MTVN), a division of Viacom, has revealed the results of a new study to take a look at the life cycle of apps – from how they‘re found to why they‘re ultimately cherished or deleted.
The research, titled “Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em: Adoption, Abandonment and the App-Addled Consumer”, was drawn on a quantitative survey of more than 1,300 self-reported daily mobile app users, as well as qualitative interviews with dedicated app consumers.
An overall 83 per cent of people in the study said they were addicted to apps.
Out of those surveyed, 53 per cent said that personal recommendations are important in deciding which apps to download, while 52 per cent relied on user reviews and 42 per cent said seeing a friend use a particular app was a critical component. Additionally, 47 per cent discovered apps via app stores from Apple and Android.
The study said, for free apps, a higher number of positive ratings drive most consumers (50 per cent) to download.
The second most-important factor (43 per cent) is personal recommendation.
For a paid app, however, price (63 per cent) and whether there is a free or preview version of the app (49 per cent) are the biggest factors in whether or not to download.
MTV Networks EVP and chief research officer Colleen Fahey Rush said, “Our brands live and die on buzz. But app discovery and adoption is just as driven by buzz as any other content that we create.”
TV and movie apps can have a shelf life of just a few weeks (38 per cent are deleted in the first three weeks after download), but they do offer multiple chances to engage consumers, as two-thirds of them (66 per cent) are checked at least once a day, the report claimed.
According to the study, two-thirds check their favourite TV or Movie app at least once a day, with nearly half (44 per cent) checking it several times a day. Each time it‘s open, 45 per cent spend more than 10 minutes with their favourite TV or Movie app.
For gaming apps, the grace period is a little longer. Fewer than 20 per cent of gaming apps are deleted in the first three weeks of ownership. As further proof of the power of app addiction, nearly half (49 per cent) of gaming app users check their apps at least several times a day.
While the early stages of the app life cycle are often based on recommendations, the final stages are more personal. Only 37 per cent of entertainment apps and 39 per cent of gaming apps continue to be used because friends use the same apps.
For TV and movie apps, ease of use (79 per cent) and new content (55 per cent) are the biggest reasons consumers will use an app for the long term. Better alternatives (55 per cent) and lack of new content (42 per cent) will drive a consumer to delete an app.
“Ultimately, the long-term success of an app is tied to fun and function. App users are looking for experiences that will make them feel smarter, more empowered or more entertained,” said Fahey Rush.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
