Bitchat, the internet-free messaging app founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, continues to gain traction in India despite a government order to remove its source code repository from GitHub, according to a report by Aabhas Sharma in Business Today (via Times of India). New data from Appfigures shows India accounted for 53% of Bitchat's estimated over 1.2 lakh (120,000) global downloads during the 30 days ending July 24, with an estimated 65,462 downloads in the country. Nearly all of those installs—65,435—occurred in the final seven days, underscoring the speed of its rise.
Rapid Download Surge in India
The surge gathered pace after July 20, according to data shared by Appfigures with TOI. Daily downloads in India climbed from 291 on July 19 to 946 on July 20, then jumped to 8,759 on July 21, 21,508 on July 22, and peaked at 28,574 on July 23. During the latest seven-day period, India contributed 84% of Bitchat's global downloads. The app also reached No. 7 among iPhone social networking apps in India by July 24, up from No. 46 on July 20. On Google Play, it climbed to No. 23 among communication apps after first appearing in the rankings only on July 22. Android accounted for about 76% of the app's Indian downloads.
| Date | Daily Downloads in India |
|---|---|
| July 19 | 291 |
| July 20 | 946 |
| July 21 | 8,759 |
| July 22 | 21,508 |
| July 23 | 28,574 |
Building on earlier Sensor Tower data, the report revealed that daily active users crossed 3.3 lakh (330,000).
Technology and Background
Bitchat allows users to message without any internet connection by using Bluetooth mesh networks. The app's source code was hosted on GitHub, a platform owned by Microsoft. The government's order directed GitHub to remove the repository, a move that civil liberty groups have challenged as unconstitutional.
Legal and Constitutional Concerns
The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) criticised the takedown order, arguing that it amounts to an unconstitutional restriction on access to open-source software and raises concerns over transparency and due process, according to the report.
Despite the crackdown, the app has retained strong visibility on app stores and continues to see rapid adoption in India, suggesting that the government's action has not dampened user interest. The data underscores how a single country can propel a messaging app's global growth, even in the face of regulatory obstacles.
Sources:
