The iOS App Store turned 12-years-old on Friday. It first went live on July 10, 2008.
App Store Celebrates 12th Birthday
Amongst the first items to become available were MLB At Bat, The New York Times, and eBay. They were alongside games and products like Travelocity.
The iPhone had launched a year earlier, but I now find it hard to imagine one without the other. The model has obviously been replicated on Android devices too. There are issues – notably the ongoing debate around in-app purchases and the slice of the pie Apple takes. However, the App Store has created businesses and a whole economy based around selling apps, something Apple is keen to emphasize. In June, the company pointed out that it had facilitated over half a trillion dollars in commerce in 2019.