Elon Musk, renowned for his ventures that span the cosmos and subterranean travel tunnels, faces turbulent skies in the tech arena. His social media venture, X, which had promised to redefine the way we connect and communicate, is undergoing significant challenges, especially with the Android user base. According to a report by TechCrunch, cited by data analytics firm Appfigures, the downloads for X on Google Play Store observed a sharp decline of 44% year-on-year in July 2025. Yet, there’s a silver lining on the horizon for iOS users, where downloads climbed by an impressive 15%.
A Slump Across Platforms
The overall picture for X isn’t as optimistic as Musk might have hoped. The microblogging platform experienced a 26% reduction in total mobile downloads in the same month, reflecting earlier struggles observed in June, which noted a steeper decline of 35%. These figures highlight a clear challenge for the platform on Android, with downloads plummeting by 49% alone. Meanwhile, threads of growing competition are weaving a complex narrative for X’s future.
Response from Within
In response to these daunting figures, Nikita Bier, the head of product at X, stirred waves of enthusiasm with his call to arms for assembling the “Android Dream Team.” Eliciting comparisons to legendary sports teams, Bier’s bold statements have set high expectations for a thorough revamp of the X Android application. He envisions creating something monumental, akin to “the moon landing” or “the invention of the wheel,” raising the bar for the app’s future redesign.
Financial Strains and Strategic Shifts
While downloads struggled, so did X’s financial metrics, with net revenue witnessing a dip from \(18.8 million in March 2025 to \)16.9 million in July. Such figures reinforce the platform’s increasing reliance on advertising revenue over in-app subscriptions, a strategic concern as digital advertising landscapes become more competitive.
Competition Breathing Down the Neck
Adding to its hurdles, X finds itself pressed by Meta’s Threads, a rival catching up with fierce momentum. With 115.1 million daily active users experiencing a remarkable 127.8% growth, Threads positions itself as a formidable opponent. X’s numbers, while robust, show a decline, with monthly active users standing at 132 million—a 15.2% decrease YoY.
The Road Ahead
As X navigates these challenges, the strategic pivots it makes in the coming months will be critical. Whether Bier’s Dream Team will forge an app that stands as monumental in history remains to be seen, yet the optimism surrounding internal development suggests that X is not yet out of the race. As stated in Storyboard18, the coming shifts and outcomes will be closely watched by industry analysts and users alike, awaiting the outcomes of these dynamic changes in the social media landscape.