Pokemon Go sets new App Store record for first week downloads
- jul
- 22
iPhone is so popular and mature the narrative has been switching from how to build up the device as a platform to all the platforms that can be built on the device — and the iOS software that powers it.
Rene Ritchie has been covering Apple and the personal technology industry for almost a decade. Editor-in-chief of iMore, executive editor for Mobile Nations, video and podcast host, you can follow him on Snapchat or Twitter @reneritchie.
Look no further than Pokemon Go, which Apple recently told me had set a new App Store record, scoring more downloads in its first week than any other app in store history.
Pokemon Go may be the biggest mobile experience of the year, perhaps of the last few years, but, in my opinion, part of that has to do with the size of the platform as well. So many people have iPhones now, being on the App Store has far more potential than ever before.
Apple's most recent stats reveal the company has paid out over $50 billion to date, directly to developers. Yet as we pass the millions of apps threshold, we're also seeing people opt more for quality over quantity of options. In other words, developers from indie to majors are seeing people spend more time in their favorite apps rather than jumping around between a lot of apps.
Obviously that includes games like Pokemon Go, but also social networks like Facebook, messaging apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat, and productivity tools that power their days.
Apple's new, faster review and approval process, announced at the beginning of June, seem to be making launches, updates, and bug fixes smoother for everyone. How new marketing options, including search ads, and new revenue streams, including subscriptions for every app category, change the dynamic remains to be seen.
In a report on Q2 2016 trends, app metrics company App Annie showed that in-app subscriptions for apps like Netflix and HBO NOW, are driving significant growth (yup, the same kind Spotify is complaining about!).
Music and Entertainment, in general, remained hugely profitable for App Store developers, earning roughly four times the revenue of those categories on Google Play.
Pocket computers are mainstream now. Billions of people have them. They have them for gaming, for watching video on demand, and for managing their daily lives.
That's the really big change that's happened recently. The chasm was crossed. Technology has once again become even more personal and popular.
Since Q2 2014, time spent in apps has almost doubled. Mobile and apps are the new normal.
Pokemon Go
- Pokemon Go beginner's guide
- Pokémon Go tips, tricks, and cheats
- Pokémon Go parents guide: Keep your kids safe!
- How to track nearby Pokémon
- Where to find different types of Pokémon
- How to catch Pokémon
- How to evolve and level up Pokémon
- How to win gym battles and earn coins
- How to be lazy and play on the couch
- How to fix crashes and server errors
- How to download Pokemon Go outside the U.S.
- Pokemon Go help and discussion forum