Apple anxiously awaits the selling of their billionth App download celebration
By Laura June 
posted Apr 10th 2009 12:22PM
posted Apr 10th 2009 12:22PM
Apple's going all out in anticipation of a landmark for the company -- the downloading of one billion apps in the App store. Not bad for nine months of work, if you think about it: over 110 million a month, in fact. About 27 million a week... well, you get the idea. Oh yeah, they're giving away a bunch of stuff too, so be sure to check that out if the mood strikes you.
Does this even matter? 90% of them are free app downloads.
I'm a hardcore WM user (HTC Touch HD, T-Mobile US), but even I can acknowledge the significance of this feat. Quit hatin'!
Why it they need to advertise this?
I think there are a billion apps *sold* over the years by WM, BB and (the old) PalmOS. But this is just too much hype generated advertising. And yes, it obviously includes free apps and iFart apps and who knows some iTunes non-portable apps (i.e. content). And I wonder if there will be a 'winner' that gets the 10K iTune gift card as most of the corporate giveaways are fake.
Then again it will be a gift card to the Apple store. 10K will buy you maybe 2 MacPros... without the software.
Kids from grade 9 to college just have too much time and money on their hands.
I agree, this seems silly. Its like when your new girlfriend wants to celebrate your 1 month anniversary.
It's all part of a great marketing of iPhone my Apple. I bet Nokia and Microsoft are watching helpless right now even though they have better (read more capable) products. They just didn't give their products a nice finishing touch to make them feel easy and good out the box.
Apps will tie the users to one platform and some apps could even attract other friends to join on iPhones as they probably can share content/communicate in a special way like Comeks, etc.
In my 3 weeks with iPhone I installed over 80 apps and paid for one only app (Smart Dial) which is not working on 3.0 Beta. I am trying to get refund for that app too. I uninstalled 70 of those apps already.
We have over 100s of apps like Dial Mom, Dial Sister, Dial Basketball, Dial Tennis, Dial XXXX. All those are just shortcuts on Windows Mobile and even on some S60 phones.
so you downloaded BETA software and your so upset that "Smart Dial" is not working that you have to get a $0.99 refund?
this is like that fat kid that sued McDonald's for being fat!
It's actually $2.99. I requested for refund if they don't expect to get a working version in the next couple of weeks. I can use those $2.99 to buy 3 other apps :-).
So u paid $99 dollars to become a developer just to use 3.0 beta rather than wait till june/july for the official free release and ur complaining about $2.99? Seriously?!?
I assume u haven't jailbroken and installed it free otherwise u wouldn't have paid for that app in the first place.
Ive done some calculating and it will take 12-14 days more to get to a billion at the pace they are going. If my calculations are correct you have at the most .00026667% chance of winning. That is if each person downloads 200 apps in this entire competition which mean 375,000 people are participating. That is a very unlikely situation. Still think you might win?