Apple's introduction of widgets on the Home Screen in iOS 14 has driven a surge in interest among users looking to customize their iPhone, and that has reportedly had a knock-on effect for Pinterest, whose iOS app has seen record downloads as users flock to its content seeking design inspiration.
As reported by TechCrunch, App Store intelligence firm Apptopia was first to note the impact of the iOS 14 customization trend on Pinterest. According to its data, Pinterest saw a record high number of daily downloads on September 21, with around 616,000 new installs globally.
Offering similar numbers, market intelligence firm Sensor Tower estimated 680,000 Pinterest installs across iOS and Android the previous day, as users searched for photos to use for custom icons or wallpapers to go with their new widgets.
Sensor Tower estimates that Pinterest's downloads record was actually broken on September 20, with around 800,000 installs worldwide, or a 32 percent week-on-week growth from the 607,000 installs it managed on September 13, a few days before iOS 14 was released to the public.
The interest has also caused Pinterest to jump from number 47 on the Top Free iPhone Apps charts in the App Store to number 7 in just two days. The app currently sits at number 1 in the Lifestyle category on iPhone, although it has hovered around the number 1 and number 2 position since February 2020.
The report notes that the driving motivation for the growth in Pinterest installations can be seen on Pinterest's home page, which has been showcasing the new iOS 14 customization possibilities available to users.
The Pinterest home page today showcases iPhone design trends as one of its "Daily Inspirations," where the collection "Trending wallpapers and aesthetic homescreen ideas" is currently sitting at the top of the page. Here, users are finding iPhone backgrounds and sharing other custom designs and icon sets for people to use in their own creations.
One possible Home Screen customization that has taken on a life of its own is the ability to create custom icons using Apple's Shortcuts app. The process involves creating a Shortcut to open an app, and then adding an image to that Shortcut on the home screen.
A TechCrunch spokesperson said that Gen Z has been the main reason for the surge in interest, as this group grew 50 percent year over year in June 2020 and they tend to use Pinterest as a resource for design inspiration.
