Guo Ji Jin Rong Bao·2025-09-03 12:35Core Viewpoint - The era of application distribution is coming to an end, as evidenced by the announcement of 91 Assistant's complete service shutdown scheduled for September 27, 2025, due to business adjustments and product iteration needs [1] Group 1: Company History and Development - 91 Assistant was developed in response to the inconvenience of managing iPhones, with its initial version launched in February 2008, quickly becoming essential for iOS users needing to "jailbreak" their devices [2] - By 2009, 91 Assistant expanded to the Android platform and captured approximately 90% of the domestic mobile assistant market [2] - In 2012, 91 Assistant reached over 100 million users across iOS and Android platforms, with cumulative application downloads exceeding 10 billion [2] Group 2: Acquisition and Market Position - In 2013, Baidu acquired 91 Assistant and its parent company, 91 Wireless, for $1.9 billion, marking one of the largest mergers in Chinese internet history [3][5] - The acquisition was driven by the need to secure a foothold in the booming mobile application distribution sector, as Baidu sought to compete with other tech giants like Tencent and Alibaba [5] Group 3: Market Decline and Closure - Following the acquisition, 91 Assistant was rebranded as Baidu 91 and integrated with other Baidu products, achieving a user coverage of hundreds of millions and a market share exceeding 50% by 2014 [6] - However, the market share began to decline due to the improved functionality of the Apple App Store, reduced demand for jailbreaking, and the rise of proprietary app stores from manufacturers like Huawei and Xiaomi [6] - Despite attempts at transformation, 91 Assistant struggled to integrate effectively into Baidu's ecosystem, leading to the closure of its services and the eventual shutdown of its distribution channels by 2020 [6]