Proof indeed that the iPhone has become the all conquering hero of the smartphone world is the news that the Apple App Store has registered over two billion app downloads.
What makes the figure even more astonishing is the speed that the downloads are taking place.
In July, Apple reported that they’d past the 1.5 billion download mark, meaning that there’s been 500 million downloads in less than three months.
There’s been no let up in application development either, with the AppStore now containing over 85,000 apps, with 20,000 of those being created in the last three months.
Admittedly, an awful lot of those apps are either utter plain rubbish, flippant to the point of inanity or just endlessly duplicating the same functionality of extant apps, but there are some nuggets lurking in the considerable garbage.
We’ll be doing a feature about our favourite iPhone apps soon, but in the meantime, check out TechCrunch’s ‘35 Best iPhone Apps Of The Year So Far‘ feature.
one thing I’m noticing…unless I’m mistaken it feels that whenever a mainstream company/store/developer/whatever decides to dip a first toe in the mobile market they will usually release an iPhone app first… Are there any examples of desirable apps that are not yet available on the iPhone (I’m interested to hear of any)…this is a powerful incentive to buy an iPhone. Clever old Apple.
Good luck to the plucky outsiders like Pre..the market needs ’em
You’ll find a lot of innovative apps on other platforms that are way ahead of the iPhone in some areas.
The Android platform has, for example, an awful lot of clever augmented reality apps and – of course – there’s the revolutionary Google Voice app that Apple appears to be currently blocking.
When it comes to games though, the iPhone is streets ahead.
thanks…I had no idea about the games market, not my bag
I wasn’t specific enough…I guess what I mean is that it just looks like when people like the supermarket delivery system Ocado and magazine The Spectator decide to release a phone app..they always go for the iPhone first. So anyone who doesn’t have an iPhone has to wait, perhaps in vain, for an Android or whatever release.
And I think that’s going to have a really powerful effect on which phone looks most sensible for people to buy…
I have no stats to back this up but can anyone think of examples of a “connect you to a company/service” app..or a mobile version of pre-existing software..that came out first on Android or whatever?
Please, prove me wrong! I’m in the market for a new phone and want to make the right choice.