Appstore clocks 25 billion downloads - but Android Market rising fast
Google chases down Apple in the app market as both companies expand quickly.
Apple said this morning that more than 25 billion apps have been downloaded from its AppStore.
Launched in 2008, the AppStore makes programmes available for download for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, with Apple taking a 30% cut on paid content.
The company said more than 315 million people now use an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, for which around 550,000 apps are now available.
The designated 25 billionth downloader was Chunli Fu of Qingdao, China, who collected a $US10,000 iTunes Gift Card.
iTunes is growing fast; in January last year it reported its 10 billionth download.
Android Market rising
But there is a cloud on the horizon: Google's rival download service, Android Market, is also growing quickly.
In January this year, Google said it had clocked 11 billion Android Market downloads up from 6 billion in July 2011.
The Android Market provides apps for phones and tablets made by recent Google acquisition Motorola, Samsung, Sony, HTC, Huawei, LG and others.
Apple's AppStore and the Android Market were both launched in 2008, but Google's online store got off to a slower start as Android devices took a while to gather steam in the market place (over the past 18 months, collective sales of Android handsets have passed Apple's iPhone).
Last week, Microsoft opened a beta version of its Windows Store, which will service Windows Phone devices and Windows 8 tablets after its commercial launch, expected around mid-year.
In early February, RIM claimed 2 billion downloads from its BlackBerry App World store.
NBR staff
Tue, 06 Mar 2012
Tue, 06 Mar 2012
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Appstore clocks 25 billion downloads - but Android Market rising fast
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