The late Steve Jobs announced the App Store at the first iPhone SDK event in the spring of 2008. It was the first on-device App Store, managed entirely by the platform owner. It launched in June of 2008 with 500 apps, but has since exploded to nearly a million. It popularized software by making it more easily obtained, managed, and removed than ever before. The iOS App Store is now available on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, as well as via the iTunes desktop. Thanks to Apple's 30/70 split with developers, it has also paid out billions of dollars to date.
The late Steve Jobs announced the App Store at the first iPhone SDK event in the spring of 2008. It was the first on-device App Store, managed entirely by the platform owner. It launched in June of 2008 with 500 apps, but has since exploded to nearly a million. It popularized software by making it more easily obtained, managed, and removed than ever before. The iOS App Store is now available on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, as well as via the iTunes desktop. Thanks to Apple's 30/70 split with developers, it has also paid out billions of dollars to date.
18 July 201423By Rene RitchieIn-app purchases (IAP) can seem like complicated, confusing things, especially if you're a parent new to the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and App Store, and trying to figure it all out for yourself and your kids...
10 July 2014By Rene RitchieApp Store Year Zero: How unsweetened web apps and unsigned code drove the iPhone to an SDK
Apple introduced the App Store on July 10, 2008. Over the course of the next week we're going to take a look back at the origins and development of App Store, and forward towards its potential future...
25 August 20131By Rene RitchieThe time between the developer preview for iOS 4 and iOS 5 was the longest to date. Rather than a spring event like in previous years, Apple didn't reveal any details of iOS 5 until WWDC 2011 in June. Also, rather than a summer release, general availability was held off until October of that year. So what did Apple manage to achieve with those extra months? Several things that weren't made available to developers, including Siri and Notification Center widgets. iCloud, however, and the sync services that came with it, were big. As was Newsstand and its subscription services, at least potentially. In keeping with tradition, however, neither was without controversy.
21 August 20131By Rene RitchieGoing into its third year, the App Store had become successful beyond anyone - probably even Apple's - wildest dreams. It was enabling and serving more apps from more developers to more customers than any single software source in history. However, while iPhone and iPad apps were the most popular in mobile history, they were far from the most capable. That's why, in April of 2010 at the iPhone OS 4 - renamed iOS 4 shortly thereafter - preview event, Apple started amping up apps. Folders increased the raw number of apps that could be loaded onto any device at one time, Calendar access let developers hook into the event system, and iAd gave them an additional, Apple-owned option for monetizing free apps. The biggest new feature, however, for users and developers alike, was multitasking. Kind of.
09 August 20134By Rene RitchieThe App Store might have launched in 2008, but it didn't stop there. At the Apple iPhone OS 3.0 preview event, held in March of 2009, the iPhone and all its apps, first and third party, got copy and paste, Spotlight search as an ersatz secondary app launcher, and access to the dock port. Among 1000 other new and improved API, the previously announced push notification service was also re-introduced, which wasn't multitasking but would enable whole classes of apps to be more useful than previously possible. Arguably, however, the most transformative new feature in iPhone OS 3.0 was, for good and ill, in-app purchase (IAP).
12 July 20135By Rene RitchieApple introduced the App Store on July 10, 2008, five years ago this week. Over the course of the next few days we're going to take a look back at the origins and development of App Store, and forward towards its potential future. That future began with launch day. Apple went from no apps to hundreds of them over night. And for the first time ever, every up-to-date device across an entire platform had a centralized, unified place where customers could go to easily, safely buy apps. One tap on one icon on one Home screen, and they were in and buying with one login and one account. Just like the iPhone had made mobile computing mainstream, the App Store now made mobile apps mainstream. The world has never been the same.
17 August 2017By Joseph KellerWe're always on the lookout for the best apps on the iPhone and iPad App Store. This week, get good weather news with Mirage World, get apps for the solar eclipse, and create colorful paths with Tsuro.
01 August 20174By Rene RitchieHow do you get, gift, redeem, and otherwise enjoy apps and games on your iPhone and iPad? With the App Store app, of course!
30 July 2017By Mike TanasychukDid you get an iTunes gift card for your b-day? You don’t just have to spend it on music or movies or TV in the iTunes Store! You can buy apps too! You can even bump up your balance and gift content to another lucky iPhone or iPad user, right in the App Store.
29 July 20173By Mike TanasychukWhen you know what app you want, you can head to the App Store and download it, lickety split. But, if you’re not sure if you want an app, you can save it for later, and even share it with your friends to see what they think.
12 July 2017By Joseph KellerYou'll soon be able to choose PayPal as your payment method for the App Store, Apple Music, and more right on your iPhone or iPad.
06 July 20172By Mikah SargentApp Store review prompts got an upgrade in iOS 10.3 — come iOS 11, you'll be able to toggle those prompts! Here's how you use (and turn off) the new App Store rating and review prompts in iOS.
23 June 20171By Joseph KellerApple has created a special section of the Canadian App Store to highlight the country's favorite apps and games, as well as apps developed by Canadians.
