App Store Downloads Reach 1 Billion

By Mani Raj

The one billionth app downloaded from the app store was called Bump. Bump is created by Bump Technologies and it makes swapping contact information, as simple as bumping two phones together.




Apple's grand prize winner for downloading the one billionth app was Connor Mulcahey, a teenager from Connecticut. He will receive a $10,000 iTunes gift card, an iPod Touch, a Time Capsule, and a MacBook Pro.

Apple reached this milestone of one billion downloads only after nine months. Now Apple is moving its focus on to a new milestone with the release of the iPhone OS 3.0 this summer.

The iPhone OS 3.0 update, this summer, will provide app developers with more than 1,000 new APIs enabling in-app purchases, peer-to-peer connections, app control of accessories, and push notifications.

The iPhone OS 3.0 will also add more than 100 customer features, including cut, copy and paste; Spotlight search; a landscape keyboard and a view for all key iPhone apps; and expanded parental controls for apps, TV shows, and movies.

As of Friday, April 24, 2009, the App Store has more than 35,000 applications available to consumers in 77 countries. The store lets app developers reach tens of millions of iPhone and iPod touch users around the world.


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