Thereโs a telltale sign that never fails when times are truly about to change.
Do you remember installing Mortal Kombat on a 386 with two megabytes of RAM? Downloading a 250 KB card game over your first modem, holding your breath for minutes on end? Or opening photos on websites, waiting for the image to crawl all the way down the screen? Video? Nah, real time was impossible, let alone at the maximum quality our eyes can perceive ๐
All of that created an insatiable hunger for resources, enough to justify the wildest fantasiesโand some reactions that now seem ridiculous. โ640 KB ought to be enough for anyone,โ Bill Gates. Today, thereโs hardware with up to 1.5 TB of memory per socket.
Well, without really noticing, weโve just crossed that line again.
While we were busy debating whether AI was in a bubble, whether progress was stalling, or whether use cases were nothing but smoke and mirrorsโฆ something different appeared.
An agent. Call it Openclaw, though weโll see every major player heading in the same direction.
No limits on resource consumption. No limits on its ability to operate. And it exploits the most ambitious context window any LLM can offer.
And this is where things truly spiral: the human context window is an entire lifetime. And yesโthatโs what weโre going after.
Donโt fool yourselves. We run models in the cloud simply because we donโt yet have enough resources. But executionโand even training, learning, and improvementโweโll want that to happen locally. Which only pushes the demand horizon even further.
All of this means that demand for computation and memory becomes, in practice, infinite (along with all associated resources, like energy). And thatโs how the incentive emergesโthe same one that has always driven major technological leaps: overwhelming demand in exchange for extraordinary results.
None of this is in doubt anymore for those who are deep in it. Anyone who has worked with agents knows it. Anyone who programs, writes, or designs knows it. The moment we could talk to machines, everything blew apart. Even I find it hard to believeโthe dream has become real.
We wonโt be the ones browsing the internet. We wonโt be the ones creating, or even using, software. Who would have thought? The age of man doesnโt end with a machine rebellion, weโre simply handing over the baton.
Hay una seรฑal que no falla cuรกndo los tiempos van a cambiar de verdad.
ยฟRecuerdas cuando instalabas Mortal Kombat en un 386 con dos megas de RAM? ยฟCuando descargabas un juego de mus de 250 KB con tu primer mรณdem, cruzando los dedos durante minutos? Quizรก cuando abrรญas fotos en sitios como elrellano, esperando a que la imagen llegara hasta abajo. ยฟVรญdeo? Nah, imposible en tiempo real y menos con la mรกxima calidad que permiten nuestros ojos :).
Todo esto generaba un apetito insaciable de recursos que justificaba las fantasรญas mรกs locas. Tambiรฉn reacciones que ahora parecen ridรญculas. โ640 KB deberรญan ser suficientes para cualquieraโ โBill Gates. Hoy existe hardware que llega a 1,5 TB de memoria por socket.
Bien. Pues sin darnos cuenta acabamos de cruzar esa lรญnea de nuevo.
Mientras discutรญamos si la IA estaba en una burbuja, si estรกbamos acelerando, o si los casos de uso no eran mรกs que humoโฆ aparece algo distinto.
Un Agente. Pongamos Openclaw, aunque vamos a ver a todas las grandes andando el mismo camino.
Sin lรญmites en el consumo de recursos, sin lรญmites en su capacidad de operar, y que explota la ventana de contexto mรกs ambiciosa que pueda proponer cualquier LLM.
Y aquรญ es donde se desmadra la cosa, la ventana de contexto del humano es toda su vida. Y sรญ, vamos a por eso.
No os enganรฉis. Ejecutamos modelos en la nube simplemente porque no nos llegan los recursos, pero la ejecuciรณn e incluso entrenamiento/aprendizaje/mejora querremos que sea local (lo que sigue ampliando el horizonte de la la demanda).
Todo esto implica que la demanda de computaciรณn y memoria pasa a ser, en la prรกctica, infinita (y con ello todos los recursos asociados, como la energรญa). Asรญ aparece el incentivo que siempre ha movido los grandes saltos tecnolรณgicos: una demanda desmedida a cambio de resultados extraordinarios.
Ninguna de estas dos cosas plantean ya dudas a quien estรก metido en el ajo. Quien ha trabajado con agentes lo sabe. Quien programa, escribe o diseรฑa lo sabe. Y es que, que podamos hablar con las mรกquinas ha hecho saltar todo por los aires. A mi mismo me cuesta creerlo, el sueรฑo se ha hecho realidad.
No seremos nosotros quienes naveguemos por internet, quien creemos o siquiera utilicemos el software. Quien lo iba a decir, la edad de los hombres no termina con una rebeliรณn de las mรกquinas, solo somos nosotros dejando el testigo.
Weโve launched Uptodownโs Transparency Center: a public view of how we handle threat control, developer quality, governance and community. Real data, updated every month.
If you use an app store today, youโre probably flying blind.
You donโt really know who is uploading what, how those files are checked, what gets rejected, or why something disappears. App distribution has become a black box.
At Uptodown weโve always believed the opposite:
If you want people to trust you, show them how everything works.
Thatโs why weโve launched the Uptodown Transparency Center โ a public space where we expose how we run the store: threat control, developer reviews, governance, community, and historical metrics. Real numbers, updated regularly, not marketing slides.
Threat control you can actually see
Every file we host goes through VirusTotal, with detection engines from more than 75 antivirus vendors (Kaspersky, Bitdefender, Avast, McAfee, AVG, etc.). We use those reports as a first line of defense, and then our Editorial team makes the final call.
In the latest period we analyzed 2,355,401 unique files with VirusTotal.
92.38% had zero detections
6.36% had 1โ3 detections
1.25% had 4 or more detections
Some categories (emulators, root tools, customization apps) naturally trigger โfalse positivesโ, and we explain that openly. For every app, users can read the VirusTotal report themselves from the file page.
Security isnโt a mystery here. You can literally click and audit our decisions.
Quality over quantity for developers
We love developersโbut we donโt publish everything.
Right now we have 191,273 registered developers, and in the last month alone:
2,216 apps from registered authors were uploaded
1,558 submissions or updates were rejected
Why do we reject them? The main reasons:
Not meeting minimum quality standards โ 48.97%
Low-quality webviews โ 8.34%
Using templates that clone existing apps โ 3.66%
Dangerous apps โ 2.05%
Other reasons (rest of official criteria) โ 36.97%
This is the opposite of โanything goesโ. We prefer a tighter, safer, more useful catalog over raw volume. Everyone sees where we draw the line.
Scale, but not as a black box
Uptodown today:
326,724 unique apps published
4,231,465 files in total across platforms
81,907 apps and 179,684 updates published in the latest period
This is one of the most complete pictures of app distribution outside Google Play you can find in one place.
If you want to understand whatโs happening in independent app distribution, the Transparency Center is basically our live dashboard.
Governance, takedowns and legal responsibilities
Another black-box area in app stores is governance:
What happens when someone reports a copyright issue?
How many apps get removed?
How fast do you react?
We handle removal requests (DMCA-style and similar) with a clear and documented process, and we also expose the numbers: in the latest period, 103 apps were withdrawn due to legal requests.
We also process profile deletion requests and treat user data with the same respect: clear channels, documented flow, and visible impact in the Transparency Center.
Community as a safety layer, not just โengagementโ
Our community is huge, but again, not opaque:
45,784,466 registered users
1,134,015 new users in the last period
52,742 ratings and 14,143 comments published
21.16% of comments are rejected by our anti-spam + manual moderation layer.
We donโt treat comments as โfree contentโ; we treat them as another safety layer. The moderation pipeline (automatic + editorial) is there to keep things useful and respectfulโand the rejection rate is public so you know we actually act on it.
Why weโre doing this
Because we believe in a simple idea:
If an app store wants your trust, it should earn it in the open.
Uptodown is an independent, multi-platform app store built around that idea: open access, transparent stats, visible governance, and safety you can inspectโnot just a logo that says โsecureโ.
Yes, you can be open and trustworthy. Yes, you can be transparent and safe.
When everything feels broken, thatโs exactly when you need to stick to your principles.
Governments want to track everyone. Big tech keeps closing the web. Search engines punish the very creators they live on. Hardware is locked down tighter every year. Even operating systems limit users and call it โsecurity.โ
Meanwhile, we just keep it simple: software matters.
Because software isnโt just apps on your phoneโitโs how we learn, work, create, connect. Block software, and you block freedom.
Thatโs why Uptodown is built the way it is:
No logins. No tracking. No selling your data.
No commissions. No shady contracts. No competing with devs.
No borders, no artificial limits.
Free. Safe. Accessible. Everywhere.
Protect software, protect freedom.
How Uptodown Protects Your Privacy
No registration required: You can download software without creating an account or linking your identity.
No tracking or profiling: We do not connect your downloads with your personal usage.
No third-party exploitation: Uptodown does not share data with external platforms or companies.
Independent by design: We are not part of a corporate group with hidden interests or conflicts.
How Uptodown Supports Developers and the Software Community
Zero commission: All developer revenue belongs entirely to the creators.
Open access: The only conditions for publishing are quality and security, never restrictive commercial terms.
No competition with creators: We do not build apps to compete with the developers we host.
Collaboration for all: Uptodown works with individuals and companies worldwide, regardless of origin or affiliation.
How Uptodown Makes Software Accessible
Open distribution channels: We use the web as a universal, barrier-free platform, not closed ecosystems.
Authentic files: Apps are always distributed exactly as their developers provide themโwithout tampering, resigning, or modifications.
Global access: Uptodown distributes software worldwide, without artificial restrictions based on geography, politics, or commercial interests.
Cross-platform freedom: We support access from any device, operating system, or environment.
Uptodown exists to defend a simple idea: software should remain free, safe, and accessible to everyone. Protecting software distribution is protecting freedom itself.
Just got back to Mรกlaga after a year in Berkeley, California, and reconnected with the entire Uptodown team.
Earlier this week at the Uptodown Open Session, down at Muelle Uno in Mรกlaga.
Itโs been an intense year of exploring and absorbing everything around me. Surprisingly, some of my biggest takeaways didn’t come from new adventures, but from familiar faces and projects closer to homeโlike watching Freepik brilliantly pivoting or the invaluable insights from friends like Cuenca and Florido. Their experiences have given me fresh insights on how we can launch some exciting new stuff and sharpen our strategies here at Uptodown.
Taking part in Freepikโs UpScale event in San Francisco this year was also a game-changer. Many of the shifts and bold moves theyโre leading in the creative industry are totally relevant to our own world of app distribution.
And at the same time, seeing up close how the new status symbols in todayโs US tech culture actually reflect the principles weโve always stood for at Uptodown really hit home. It was a strong reminder that weโre on the right track, a motivation to keep going.
Sure, this year away was toughโespecially missing the daily hustle with the Uptodown team. BUT everything ran like clockwork without me. I always knew our team was packed with talent, but honestly, I didnโt realize just how smoothly they’d sail without me around. Itโs humbling to see just how strong and autonomous the team has become.
Now that I’m back, I’ve found an even more motivated and energized team, ready to tackle the future. And I’ve got a backpack full of fresh ideas, inspiration, and proposals gathered from my time immersed in Silicon Valleyโs scene. Itโs time to unpack them and put them to good use.
At Uptodown, we have some incredibly valuable assets built over decadesโour technology, rich content, and engaged community. Now, weโre ready to amplify these strengths by integrating the latest AI tools and technologies. This is going to unlock new opportunities, help us deliver new amazing products, and bring even greater value to our industry.
Exciting times are ahead. Weโre ready to surf this new AI-driven wave. Stay tuned, because soon, weโll have some thrilling announcements about all the cool stuff we’ve been working on.
EDIT: This Was the 2025 Uptodown Open Session โ Summer Edition
Like many other companies, at Uptodown we’re deeply engaged in figuring out how to unlock the potential of AI.
As part of this exploration, we experiment with new tools, try to identify what can actually enhance our work, and play around with the latest AI releases every week.
The most striking impact weโve seen this year is the massive boost in productivity when it comes to developmentโalmost unbelievable for those of us whoโve been programming for decades.
As an example, just a few weeks ago we put together a fully functional social network just for fun. And this past weekend, we decided to explore the frontier of LLMs: what better way to gauge how close we are to AGI than by comparing it to the mind of a 10-year-old kid from the ’80s playing Monkey Island or Maniac Mansion?
Inspired by LLMs playing Pokรฉmon through emulators on Twitch, I set up a system that allows any vision-capable LLM (local and remote) to play classic MS-DOS graphic adventure games.
The workflow of this system is quite simpleโthough just a few months ago, building something like this would have taken weeks.
A Python script captures a specific area of a window running SCUMVM (where the game is being played), processes the image to prepare it for an LLM, manages the context, sends all the information to a vision-capable LLM, retrieves the suggested actions, executes them on the host system, and then repeats the cycle.
The basic components are:
Fedora 42 with the X11 window server (to simplify screen capture)
VSCode with Copilot (Gemini 2.5 Pro as pair programmer)
Well make a single Python file containing the full script
Ollama (using Llava:4b and Gemma3:4b, both of which support local vision), the ChatGPT and Anthropic API models as the ยซplayersยป
VSCodeโlike any other AI-powered editorโis what really makes the difference here. Itโs like having a junior developer who never gets tired: it refactors, debugs, writes code, and handles tedious tasks on command without a complaint.
Your job is just to think through the more interesting challenges:
Creating a grid overlay on the captured image to help the LLM precisely identify where to click
Rewriting the internal dialogue on each iteration to help the LLM develop a long-term strategy
Allowing model selection, integrating each local and remote LLM, dynamically choosing the capture window…
Interpreting LLM commands and executing them properly on the host machine…
And with that setup, Copilot ends up doing the work of five junior developers in just a few hours. Itโs almost absurd. You can see it in action here:
*All interactions with the game are performed by the LLM. Why does ChatGPT choose Bernard and Michael? ยฏ\_(ใ)_/ยฏ
Googleโs and Claudeโs LLMs make the most progress in terms of advancing the game story, while local models still struggle with basic tasks like accurately determining where to click. But the solutions weโve built go far beyond mere prototypes.
At current LLM service prices, completing Monkey Island or Maniac Mansion could end up costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars (once I iron out the final details, I might have one of them play live on Twitch for a few weeks). Maybe itโs time to build a dedicated home machine capable of running large models locallyโsomething in the spirit of Andrรฉs Torrubiaโs setup.
Is all of this just an excuse to dust off old MS-DOS games and see how far LLMs can get with them? Of course. But programming has never been this much fun. AI has gone from being an incredible curiosity that you could chat with to something that’s having a tangible, almost absurd, impact on the real worldโall in just a matter of months.
For a small team like Uptodown’s, this is a game-changer. With just 33 experienced people, we could potentially do the work of 100โif we manage to fit the pieces together.
Soon, weโll begin to grasp what true abundance in software development really meansโwhere weekend projects or one-person teams can achieve what once took entire teams for months.
Week 2 Update
I’ve replaced the overlaid coordinate grid with a numbered cell system. It has proven to be much easier for LLMs to understand and far more accurate than asking them to count pixels (based on https://github.com/quinny1187/GridGPT).
To help the LLM develop a long-term strategy, Iโve added a context memory that updates every ten iterations. At that point, the LLM pauses to generate:
A map of all the rooms it has discovered based on the last ten screen descriptions, including how those rooms are connected.
A concise and persistent list of objectives, based on everything it has read and inferred from interactions so far.
The original context (as the first version had), summarizing its last ten actions to reduce repetition and improve variation in future actions.
Finally, I’ve extended the game screen text duration to the maximum allowed, giving the LLM enough time to capture dialogue by taking a snapshot every three seconds.
With this setup and enough time (/ budget), we could build a solid benchmark to evaluate how well LLMs can play through this type of games. Day of the Tentacle, for example, has up to three separate timelines to solve puzzles!.
In just a few minutes, GPT-4.1 explored the main hall and the office, discovered the passage behind the clock leading down to Fredโs lab, and figured out that it needs a diamond to power the time machine. Granted, these LLMs have prior knowledge of popular gamesโjust spotting the clock is enough to spark their curiosity :)
If I can find a way to cover the costs, Iโll set up a 24/7 Twitch stream to see just how far ChatGPT can go.
This week we had the pleasure of participating in a panel hosted by our friends at Freepik in their amazing San Francisco office.
Paula Vivas and her U.S. team are doing incredible work, perfectly reflecting the company’s styleโprofessional, but still keeping that friendly, hacker spirit we love so much back in Mรกlaga :)
We also had the opportunity to invite and meet Andreas from Flexion, a project that’s been in the mobile distribution industry for decadesโjust like usโand with whom we share a big part of their vision.
Here’s the transcript of my answers to Paula’s questions.
Uptodown is an open and global multi-platform app store with a massive audienceโtens of millions of users every month. Our job is quite simple: we connect our vibrant community with your work as developers. The tricky part is doing it while respecting users’ freedom, privacy, and securityโall while giving you full control over your work.
Paula: Can you share your companyโs perspective or experience regarding the role of AI in indie game development?
Uptodown actually operates a lot like an indie studio. We donโt have investors, our marketing budget is zero, and we have a small team for the scale of our platform, Just 33 people and we are delivering more than 300 million apps every month.
That means we face many of the same challenges as indie developers. Weโll talk later about discovery and AI, but our use of AI is very specific and practical.
For example, we use it heavily for localization, as we publish editorial content in 17 languages. We also use it for moderation, ensuring quality and security across the platform. And right now, weโre experimenting with natural language search, aiming to make app discovery more intuitive and user-friendly.
For example you can ask for a tower defense in spanish based on The lord of the ring working for a specific version of Android TV.
Paula:From your point of view, what are the most significant challenges indie game developers face today?
Two of the biggest challenges for small teams are resourcesโthe cost of developmentโand visibility.
On the resource side, companies like Freepik are doing a great job providing tools that help developers.
But visibility is a whole different story.
Until now, the only way to get traffic from closed app stores like Google Play or the App Store is to have a big marketing budget to buy it, or generate enough revenue to share with themโso they would send traffic your way.
But things are starting to shift. We’re now seeing a lot more traffic coming from language models. They are good recommendation engines, acting as a bridge between users and developers based on real user interest.
Nothing crazy yet, but just last week, Grok started recommending Uptodown as a trusted source for appsโeven for its own APKs. This is just the beginning. As users start getting recommendations from different sources, decoupling big tech stores, searches and operating systems.
And hereโs another key point: Thereโs a strong connection between how these recommendations work and how open your distribution is. Probably linked to how easy it is to deeplink content and how accessible your content is.
Thatโs why weโre trying to convey to developers how important is what we call ยซfirst open principleยป.
Paula:What strategies would you recommend indie developers adopt to effectively tackle these challenges?
As I said, the most important thing is to shift to an ยซopen-firstยป strategyโmaking your content more accessible while building trust and authority. Itโs a simple process that only changes the way you share your work.
The first step is to always use your own site as the primary place to publish and host your game. This is crucial for building a long-term strategy with a solid foundation. Itโs important to recognize the trap of relying too much on big app stores.
You can use their tools, but be mindful of their limitations. For example, when Google Play sells you their ยซsafetyยป features, like the Integrity API (which prevents you from hosting your own files), or when they push bundles and split APKs that make it harder for users to install and share your game. These things make you dependent on their ecosystem.
The next step is to expand to open and independent app stores like Aptoide or Uptodown. These platforms give you free traffic and visibility, something that’s much harder to get in closed ecosystems. You can also use tools like Flexion to help distribute your game across multiple stores.
Finally, you can still launch on the big app stores, but do it on your own terms, with a diversified distribution strategy that doesn’t limit your control.
Itโs similar to the ยซmobile-firstยป principle in web development. Sure, you can make a website mobile-friendly, but if you design it with mobile-first thinking, the whole approach changes. The same applies hereโopen-first distribution puts you in control from day one.
Paula:Looking forward, whatโs your long-term vision on how AI might shape the indie gaming industry in the next few years?
I’m gonna go philosophical here.
The bad news? AI is going to be better than us in everythingโno exceptions.
But, and this is the most optimistic thing I can say: bringing joy, entertainment, and even simple escapism will be humanityโs last stronghold.
So if youโre making games, youโre doing the right thing at the best possible time.
We’ll be in San Francisco during the GDC, hosting a great conversation at the Freepik office. I will share Uptodown’s perspective on where app distribution is headed and why it matters so much for indie developers: https://lu.ma/vxhapl1c
It’s going to be a great evening of casual networking with our colleagues from Flexion and Freepik, discussing how AI and innovative distribution channels can genuinely help indie studios scale up, stay creative, and connect directly with users.
Here’s a sneak peek at some of the ideas I’ll cover:
We’re currently experiencing a massive shift in game development, driven by powerful new AI tools. This shift is not only changing how games are created but also how users discover and access them, significantly impacting distribution channels. This combinationโAI-driven development and open-first distributionโhas the potential to redefine success for indie studios, giving them unprecedented opportunities to thrive independently.
AI is Redefining Game Discovery
Until now the mechanisms for gaining visibility on closed platforms have depended on your ability to generate revenue (and receive traffic from their stores) or the size of your marketing budget to buy traffic. A perfect scenario for gatekeepers, aligned with their goals, but one that offers fewer opportunities for new projects.
Large Language Models (LLMs), such as Grok and ChatGPT, are becoming powerful recommendation engines, offering users personalized and accurate ways to discover new games and apps.
Unlike traditional algorithm-based platforms, these AI-driven tools can openly recommend sources that truly align with users’ interests.
One example is Grokโs integration into X. Over the past week, dozens of posts from its LLM have suggested Uptodown as a reliable source for downloading appsโincluding Grok itself! :)
In this post-SEO era, building trust, authority, and expertise is more important than ever.
AI Strengthens the Open First Principle
AI not only reshapes game discovery, it also amplifies the benefits of adopting the Open First Principle. Openness and distribution are closely linked, thanks to factors like deep content linking and improved content accessibility for language models.
Yes, we firmly believe the web will continue to winโbecause ยซopenยป will always beat everything else.
So, what does ยซOpen Firstยป mean for Uptodown
Step One: Launch on Your Own Website
Begin by distributing your game directly through the web, the most accessible and open technology available. Your website is your main resource and the first essential step toward independence.
Hosting your files directly helps you quickly spot any hidden traps used by major platforms, such as Googleโs Integrity API or file bundling tactics (splits makes difficult to achive and share your work), designed to keep you locked into their ecosystem.
A recent example of platform control is the law supported by major stores in Utah, requiring age verification for app access. While framed as security, itโs another avenue to collect data and assert control. At Uptodown, we donโt even require user accounts to access content. For us, real security means informed users and respected freedom.
Next, Expand with Open Marketplaces
Once you’ve built your independent foundation, expand to open platforms like Uptodown or Aptoide. These marketplaces let you reach millions without losing control or facing hidden conditions. Tools like Flexion can further scale your reach.
Finally, Engage with Big PlatformsโOn Your Own Terms
When you’re well-established through open channels, approaching closed ecosystems like Google Play or Apple’s App Store becomes strategic. By entering these platforms last, you keep leverage over your product, ensuring they become complementaryโnot controllingโparts of your distribution strategy.
Why Developers Should Adopt Open First
Direct Audience Connection: AI-driven recommendations favor openness, allowing you to build genuine relationships directly with your users.
Creative Independence: Maintain control over every aspect of your software, free from restrictive rules.
Diversified Growth: Grow sustainably and flexibly across various channels, maximizing your impact.
Empowered Scalability: AI’s increasing influence helps even small teams achieve substantial results quickly.
The New Era of Open Distribution
The gaming and app development industry is entering a new stage thanks to AI. Closed ecosystems and restrictive app storesโcontrolled by big techโare quickly becoming outdated. AI’s ability to empower direct, authentic, and meaningful connections between developers and audiences makes the Open First approach the smartest, most future-proof strategy.
Embracing openness is no longer optional; itโs the clear path forward. The future of app distribution belongs to developers who prioritize freedom, flexibility, and authentic interactions above restrictive platforms.
Join this new wave of open, letโs build something incredible together.
I’ll be attending GDC and would love to connect with developers who are passionate about taking back control of their software distribution. If you’re interested in understanding more about Software Sovereignty or curious about how Uptodown can empower you to manage your products independently, I’d be thrilled to meet you in person during the event. Let’s discuss your goals, challenges, and how Uptodowncan support your vision.
Software Sovereignty for Developers: Taking Back Control
Software distribution is increasingly monopolized by a few dominant platforms. Companies like Google and Apple have tightened their grip, creating unnecessary barriers, limiting your autonomy, and imposing hefty fees for mere access to your users. But it doesn’t have to stay this way. Uptodown is committed to restoring your power, reconnecting you directly with your audience, and freeing you from platforms that value their profits above your success.
Uptodownโs approach is simple yet groundbreaking: put you, the developer, in complete control. You decide how your software reaches your audience without restrictive terms and conditions dictated by platforms indifferent to your interests. Instead, your products can reach Uptodownโs thriving global community of over 100 million users, entirely on your terms.
Embracing an Open Distribution Model
Picture a future where distributing your apps isn’t constrained by arbitrary rules. This is precisely the vision Uptodown is bringing to lifeโan open, unrestricted model ensuring you retain total sovereignty over your software.
This shift isn’t merely about choosing another marketplaceโit’s about embracing a fairer and more flexible ecosystem. Diversifying your distribution channels isn’t just strategic; it’s essential for preserving your creative freedom, expanding your reach, and ensuring sustainable growth. The web, in particular, offers incredible potential, connecting you directly to users without coercion or hidden fees.
Building a Developer-Driven Future
By adopting Uptodownโs approach, youโre actively reshaping the landscape of app distribution. You reclaim autonomy from platforms more concerned with their profit margins than your creative or financial freedom. The future of software distribution should belong to developers driven by openness, fairness, and independence.
Let’s move beyond monopolistic gatekeepers together. Join Uptodown in creating a future where your freedom is respected, your innovation rewarded, and distribution control returned precisely where it belongs: your hands. I’ll be at GDCโlet’s talk!
Over the past few months, weโve seen clear confirmation of the scenario we had already been anticipating: the rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence and its widespread impact across the entire industry. This is happening in less obvious sectors like designโwhere Freepik has been pivoting for a whileโbut also in more โtraditionalโ areas such as web content and search, which are closer to our core.
During this same period, Uptodown completed a monumental milestone: two full decades of operation. We have grown alongside the internet itself, serving more than 20 billion users, delivering over 60 billion downloads, and generating the largest amount of apps and content ever published by a storeโin 15 different languages.
All of this has given us a chance to step back and think about our role in the years ahead: to reflect on Uptodownโs value and whether our mission continues to make sense in this changing environment.
โAt Uptodown, we develop tools to guarantee free access to software and to organize information about applications from around the world.โ
Even now, we keep reaching the same conclusion. No matter how much the industry changesโwhether new companies, operating systems, or devices ariseโindependent access to software, proper organization of application information, and unified distribution will remain universal needs and rights worth defending.
The same holds true for how we want to do things:
โUptodown aims to be an exceptional workplace for designing, developing, and delivering these tools to the worldโa place where a talented group of people can help millions of users discover, download, and share apps with ease and accessibility.โ
Weโve lost a lot of in-person contact these past few months without a regular office, and Iโll still be away for a while under a tricky schedule. But if all goes well, sometime in 2025 weโll look for a more permanent space where we can come together.
Even though Uptodown is a very different company today, weโre fortunate to remain independentโfree of external investors or outside influencesโso that we can keep doing things the way we believe they should be done. That includes how Pepe and I view our lives and our work: building steadily, always moving forward in the same direction and with a clear purpose, focusing on what truly matters.
With our foundation in order and the benefit of some perspective, we now ask: Whatโs left to build?What challenge do we want to tackle in the next decade?What should be Uptodownโs next step?
We all agree that if we aim to drive real change in the industry, we canโt settle for leading just one platform, limiting ourselves to the webโs capabilities, or relying on third parties for our revenue. Weโre in a position to propose something far more ambitious for universal, independent app distribution.
The Rise of Uptodown. A dominant force in the app and gaming industry.
We want to launch a multi-year movement that addresses different areas and transforms us into a truly unified, open platform. This involves enhancing the spaces we already control and creating new ones to spark a network effect, growing our market share. Among other initiatives:
A single platform for deploying all updates and licenses.
Designed to encourage user adoption and loyalty
Helping solve the growing challenge of digital rights management
Capable of building a community that crosses operating-system boundaries
Expanding the social elements of the Uptodown store.
Fostering a vibrant community around our platform and content
Giving developers the independence to publish and sell their apps
Comprehensive digital rights management for developers
Hassle-free publishing and distribution
Ubiquity in the gaming and app industry.
Presence across multiple platforms
Various integration levels to suit each platformโs needs
Additional cross-cutting services that provide cohesion
All under the umbrella of an independent, privately owned company.
Free from investors or interests that donโt align with our users
We have the capabilities and the right conditions to make Uptodown a truly beloved platform
If we didnโt know each other, or if you hadnโt already traveled much of this road with us, this might sound like a wish list. But youโve already done the hardest work, weathering our toughest moments and helping build all that we have.
Itโs clear you can achieve this, and itโs absolutely worth trying. Weโll keep pushing forward and look forward to seeing everyone throughout 2025.
@luishg 