ChatGPT App Store Falters
OpenAI’s ChatGPT app store is struggling six months after launch as partner engagement flags and users reportedly revert to native apps for core services. The softness highlights the difficulty of building sustainable platform stickiness on top of chat interfaces. (latimes.com)
OpenAI opened submissions for third-party ChatGPT apps on Dec. 18, 2025. (techcrunch.com) Bloomberg reports the app directory now lists more than 300 integrations. (bloomberg.com) Developers told Bloomberg they encountered a tedious approval process, a buggy coding system and a lack of usage data, and several partners intentionally limited in-chat functionality to avoid handing customer relationships and payments to OpenAI. (bloomberg.com) Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel said referral traffic from ChatGPT to Booking.com remains “small,” according to Bloomberg’s reporting. (bloomberg.com) Apple launched its Mini Apps Partner Program on Nov. 13, 2025, offering a reduced 15% commission on qualifying in‑app purchases for mini apps and requiring use of specific Apple APIs. (developer.apple.com) Bloomberg also noted OpenAI recently discontinued its Sora video generator and is consolidating its Atlas browser into a single desktop app, while third‑party integrations are seen as essential to counter competition from Anthropic and Google. (bloomberg.com)
