December was a record-breaking month for iOS app downloads, according to Apple, with more than two billion downloads during the period — doubtless fuelled by holiday iOS device sales. Apple said its App Store now has more than 500 million active accounts, and there are now more than 775,000 apps in the store, including more than 300,000 native iPad apps. iOS developers have made more than $7 billion via the App Store, it added.
“It has been an incredible year for the iOS developer community,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, in a statement. “Developers have made over $7 billion on the App Store, and we continue to invest in providing them with the best ecosystem so they can create the most innovative apps in the world.”
Google’s Play Store for its Android smartphone platform achieved app parity with Apple’s iOS back in October, when there were 700,000 apps on Play. A recent estimate by The Sociable suggests Play will pass 1 million apps by June:
