Advent calendar - 24 Surprises

Advent calendar - 24 Surprises

By Joachim Bruns

Advent calendar - 24 Surprises is a holiday-themed utility for iOS that unlocks daily seasonal content like carols and stories.

The App DNA

What makes this app unique?

The app serves as a passive countdown tool, but its failure to update since 2020 prevents it from meeting modern user expectations for interactive holiday experiences.

For Individuals seeking seasonal holiday-themed entertainment and daily countdown content.

What does it look like?

Key features

Daily Calendar Doorsstandard

Unlocks one digital window per day to reveal themed holiday content.

Holiday Content Librarystandard

Provides access to carols, poems, stories, and holiday sounds.

How much does it cost?

freeFree

The app operates as a free, ad-supported utility with no visible in-app purchase or subscription tiers.

Velocity

Dormant developmentseasonal eventsplatform expansionShow more...

The app has not received a single update in over five years, indicating it is no longer being actively maintained or developed. The last release was in November 2020, which focused on platform compatibility for iOS 14 and seasonal content for that year. There is no evidence of ongoing development, live operations, or bug fixes.

See all version history

Who built it?

Joachim Bruns

13+ apps tracked · Book

Low Carb Rezepte - DiätLow Carb Rezepte - DiätGreeting Cards for Every Occasion - Greetings, Congratulations & Saying ImagesGreeting Cards for Every Occasion - Greetings, Congratulations & Saying ImagesTrauerkarten Beileidskarten Kondolenzkarten TRAUERTrauerkarten Beileidskarten Kondolenzkarten TRAUERChristmas Bells + Jingle BellsChristmas Bells + Jingle BellsBible Quotes - Daily Bible Studies and Random DevotionsBible Quotes - Daily Bible Studies and Random DevotionsRelationship Calculator: Been Together Love Days CounterRelationship Calculator: Been Together Love Days CounterI Love You - Love Quotes & Romantic GreetingsI Love You - Love Quotes & Romantic GreetingsHappy New Year 2021 GreetingsHappy New Year 2021 GreetingsMother's Day Greetings: Quotes & Messages with LoveMother's Day Greetings: Quotes & Messages with LoveLove Quotes - Words for Everyday Life & Valentine’s DayLove Quotes - Words for Everyday Life & Valentine’s Day2021 Happy New Year Wallpapers2021 Happy New Year WallpapersChildren's Poems - Kids' Poetry & Nursery Rhymes!Children's Poems - Kids' Poetry & Nursery Rhymes!
Explore the full publisher profile

User Sentiment

What do users think recently?

The recent review mood reads upset.

How are ratings & reviews evolving?

App Store
2.00 · 1

What users say, by theme

What Frustrates Users
  • Users report the app contains spelling errors and suspicious camera roll access requests that feel deceptive

1 of 1 recent reviews analyzed · limited sample

Read the full review analysis

Competition

Competitive landscape for Advent calendar - 24 Surprises

How's the Book market?

Advent calendar - 24 Surprises holds a negligible position in the Book category, with only one recorded review and no updates in over five years. The lack of recent activity signals a complete loss of market relevance compared to active holiday-themed competitors.

Read the market outlook

The rivals identified

Speak to Santa™ Christmas Call

By North Pole Command Centre Limited

This app dominates the holiday entertainment category by offering high-fidelity interactive experiences like live video calls and tracking, directly competing for the same seasonal user attention as this app's advent calendar.

  • Offers dynamic video and voice calling capabilities that provide a far more immersive user experience.
  • Includes robust call recording features that allow parents to save and share memorable holiday moments.
  • Maintains a massive user base and high review volume, creating a significant barrier to entry.
Advent calendar - 24 Surprises vs Speak to Santa™ Christmas Call

Unlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.

Access the full report for free

The Analyst's Read

Key takeaways for Advent calendar - 24 Surprises

Where is it heading?

The holiday utility market is consolidating around high-fidelity, interactive experiences that offer immediate value. Advent calendar - 24 Surprises remains exposed and irrelevant, as its static content model and lack of updates fail to address the current user demand for interactive holiday engagement.

  • The 2,137-day update gap confirms the app is in a permanent maintenance-free state, which prevents any recovery of user trust or engagement.

The SWOT

Core Strengths
  • Daily calendar doors provide a passive engagement loop during the holiday season.
Critical Frictions 2 weaknesses insideMarket Threats 1 threat identified

Next best moves

1 Sunset

Sunset the app because it has been dormant for over 2,000 days → eliminate brand risk from deceptive permission prompts.

The counter-intuitive read

Users report: The app's primary threat is not its lack of features…

Read the full take

Feature gaps

Live video calling (available in Speak to Santa™ Christmas Call but absent here) +1

Since the last report: The app has shifted from a passive, stagnant utility to a identified brand liability, with sentiment now reflecting user reports of deceptive permission requests and a recommendation to sunset the product.

Bottom line

Advent calendar - 24 Surprises is a dormant product that poses a brand risk due to suspicious permission requests. Sunsetting the app would remove the liability of maintaining a non-functional utility that fails to compete with modern holiday-themed alternatives.

Unlock 2 critical frictions, 1 market threat and the analyst’s take.

Access the full report for free

FAQ

Is Advent calendar - 24 Surprises safe to use?
Users have reported concerns regarding the app requesting access to their personal photo library, which some reviewers describe as suspicious and deceptive.
How does this app compare to Speak to Santa™ Christmas Call?
Speak to Santa™ Christmas Call offers high-fidelity interactive features like live video calls and tracking, whereas Advent calendar - 24 Surprises provides only static, passive content.
What is a better alternative for holiday countdowns?
Users seeking holiday entertainment should consider apps like Santa Tracker and Status Check or Speak to Santa™ Christmas Call, which offer active development and interactive features.

Sources

  1. [1] App Store

Report last updated

Disclosure: Independent intel to help mobile builders succeed.

AI-powered analysis with automated quality gates, built from publicly available sources. Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Advent calendar - 24 Surprises, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

What's new

The app has shifted from a passive, stagnant utility to a identified brand liability, with sentiment now reflecting user reports of deceptive permission requests and a recommendation to sunset the product.

declined

Emergence of Deceptive Permission Complaints

shifted

Sunset Recommendation

shifted

SWOT Analysis Refinement

shifted

Competitive Landscape Expansion

Cite this report

Marlvel.ai. “Advent calendar - 24 Surprises Intelligence Report.” Updated Oct 1, 2026. https://marlvel.ai/apps/advent-calendar-24-surprises

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