Apple Prepares for 1 Billion App Downloads

The caption says it all: Thanks a billion. Over 1 billion downloads in just nine months. Only on the App Store.

Later this week, Apple will celebrate the download of the 1 billionth app from the App Store. Hate it or love it, no one can deny that the App Store is the most successful app distribution marketplace that we have seen to date. Launched in July 2008, the store will soon offer 40,000 apps for download - surpassing by far, the number of  apps offered on any other mobile platform. 

Despite what critics of Apple's gated app distribution model may say, it is obvious that the company is doing something right. In the end, the numbers never lie! Don't get me wrong, the app store isn't without its fair share of problems. Many apps lack originality and merely offer duplicated functionality. Others will successfully elicit a WTF from Steve Jobs himself! These hiccups have not deterred customers however, and the counter on Apple's website has shown no signs of slowing with thousands of apps being downloaded daily!

How many apps have I downloaded from the App Store? Browsing my iTunes Library, I found out that I had amassed a little over 500. How many apps do I have installed on my iPhone? 37 (excluding the default ones). How many apps (outside the default ones) do I actually use on a weekly basis? Less than 10!

If you haven't yet entered the Billion App countdown and want to stand a chance of getting any of the juicy prizes - $10,000 iTunes Gift Card, an iPod touch, a Time Capsule, and a MacBook Pro- now would be a great time! Good Luck!

[Edit] The downloads have not yet surpassed 1 billion! You can get the above image by simply putting your clock forward a few days.