April 23, 2009: Lower than a yr after opening its virtual doors, the App Retailer reaches 1 billion downloads.
Peer-to-peer file sharing app Bump turns into the 1 billionth app to be downloaded. Because of his buy, 13-year-old Connor Mulcahey of Weston, Connecticut, wins a “1 Billion App Countdown” promotion.
He takes dwelling an assortment of Apple merchandise valued at greater than $13,000, together with a $10,000 iTunes reward card, a 32GB iPod contact, a Time Capsule and a 17-inch MacBook Professional.
App Retailer’s 1 billionth obtain
Hitting the astronomical billionth obtain so quickly after launch confirmed the outstanding potential of the App Retailer. The easy thought — internet hosting a curated software program assortment stuffed with the creations of builders massive and small — turned the iPhone into a tool able to doing nearly something.
“The revolutionary App Retailer has been an outstanding hit with iPhone and iPod contact customers world wide, and we’d prefer to thank our prospects and builders for serving to us obtain the astonishing milestone of one billion apps downloaded,” mentioned Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vp of worldwide product advertising and marketing, in a 2009 assertion. “In 9 months, the App Retailer has fully revolutionized the cellular trade and that is solely the start.”
On the time, Apple had offered 37 million iPhones and iPod touches, the 2 gadgets able to accessing the App Retailer. There have been round 35,000 iOS apps obtainable for obtain. (By comparability, Apple at the moment has sold well more than 2 billion iPhones, and the App Retailer homes an estimated 1.81 million different apps.)
Setting new App Retailer data
The App Retailer hit 1 billion downloads in an period throughout which Cupertino was very eager on celebrating such milestones. For instance, in 2004 it marked the 100 millionth iTunes song download by giving that buyer a 17-inch PowerBook, a 40GB iPod, a present certificates for 10,000 iTunes songs and a private telephone name from Steve Jobs.
After the billionth App Retailer obtain, gross sales simply stored climbing. Actually, by March 2012, Apple celebrated a staggering 25 billion apps downloaded. In 2020, the App Retailer enabled $643 billion in billings and sales, based on Apple.
And all of this from an App Retailer {that a} skeptical Jobs did not want to allow!
Sufferer of its personal success?
Nonetheless, the App Retailer’s astonishing success — and Apple’s tight management over {the marketplace} — provides antitrust regulators world wide a ripe goal. Apple faces potential regulation at dwelling and overseas.
The European Union’s Digital Markets Act already pressured Apple to make modifications to iOS and the App Retailer. iOS 17.4, launched in March 2024, opened up the iPhone to allow third-party app marketplaces and sideloading on iOS devices.
It additionally opened the iPhone’s NFC chip to third-party cost and banking apps, giving customers a substitute for Apple Pay. These and different measures are designed to loosen Cupertino’s grip on the App Retailer.
Are you able to recall the primary app you ever downloaded from the App Retailer? Tell us within the feedback beneath.