510b48fa 291d 4385 ae87 715aaa9e3c67
Apple has frequently promoted how much money has been paid out to developers selling apps via the App Store. The latest pronouncement was during the iPhone 4S introduction when Scott Forstall announced that Apple had paid out three billion dollars for app sales. The point Fostall is making when sharing these totals is that developing for iOS is more profitable for developers than other platforms, most notably Android.

According to analyst Gene Munster at Piper Jaffray, Apple commands 85 to 90 percent of mobile app dollars, with Google's Android Market Place generating just 7 percent of the gross revenue of the App Store. Munster anticipates Apple will continue to hold more than 70 percent of mobile app dollars going forward.

androidvsappstore
Munster says Apple developers have made more than $3.4 billion since the App Store opened, compared to just $240 million for Google developers. As with all analyst estimates, these numbers should be taken with a little skepticism, but by all accounts the App Store is a tremendous success.

Image courtesy The Verge

Top Rated Comments

Kaibelf Avatar
183 months ago
Really? So you'd rather have the developer make less money than they deserve? What does apple do to deserve their huge chunk of the pie?

Do you seriously think that retailers pass 100% of a sales price on to anyone who creates the product on their shelves? What does apple do? They provide the entire storefront, handle transactions, push updates, and provide customer care. What DON'T they do? Make you go to a store or find an obscure website for the exact same product.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shrink Avatar
183 months ago
I've been a mac user for over 10 years. I've never bought anything from the iTunes or App store and don't intend to.

And you're proud as punch about it, too.

Don't compromise your principles!

Stand firm against the tide!

People who buy from the App Store or iTunes are lemmings!

March to your own drummer!

:rolleyes::D

BTW - why don't you buy anything from the App Store or iTunes??:confused:
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kid A Avatar
183 months ago
I've been a mac user for over 10 years. I've never bought anything from the iTunes or App store and don't intend to.

I think you forgot to add a "Neener-neener! :p :cool:" to your post.

Seriously, though, your post puts an entirely new spin on the above story. Turns out, Apple oughta be shaking in their boots if they're banking on a successful iTMS or App Store! I mean, with you in the mix... :rolleyes:
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CylonGlitch Avatar
183 months ago
This is huge. From a developer stand point, you want to develop for a system that will give your software the best chance of becoming successful. If you can only write for one system, iOS is the way to go. This is just the opposite of what happened with Apple and Microsoft. With Windows being the dominate platform for desktops, developers flocked to it because that is where their customers were; Apple tried but never got nearly as many 3rd party developers. This time around, the shoe is on the other foot. We'll see what Apple does with this success.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bigcat318 Avatar
183 months ago
The developer agreed to the terms, did they not? They are making profit on software made for hardware Apple developed, are they not? Apple not only provides the medium for the software but also the distribution. Or do you think 500,000sqft data center facilities are free?

You can boycott it all you want. You just have no logical reason for doing so.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
183 months ago


Pretty interesting how Android dominates hardware market share, but Apple clearly dominates the the software front. Shouldn't the software business be driving the hardware business? This is at least true in the portable handheld gaming market.
Actually, doesn't iOS dominate in hardware user base/unit sales too, last we know?

The iOS app market reaches more than just all of Apple's phones: it’s iPods and iPads too.

Whereas the Android app market reaches LESS than all Android phones: Android tablets have not taken off, and many "Android” phones are Android-based in technicality only, and may count towards Google’s market stats but can’t run Android apps. (For example: Asian OS variations, limited “feature phones” based on Android, and the Fire tablet: if Amazon sees success with that, it will boost book sales, but not Android app sales!)


Asp = ?
Average selling price.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
General Apps Messages Redux

Singapore Orders Changes to iMessage by December

Tuesday November 25, 2025 6:39 am PST by
Singapore has ordered Apple to block or filter messages on iMessage that impersonate government agencies, requiring the company to implement new anti-spoofing protections by December as part of efforts to curb rising online scams, the Straits Times reports. Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that it had issued an Implementation Directive to Apple under the Online Criminal Harms...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released. iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
apple news banner

Apple News Loses CNN

Monday November 24, 2025 7:56 am PST by
American multinational news company CNN has abruptly pulled its content from Apple News, Semafor reports. CNN quietly removed its stories from Apple News over the weekend and there is no longer a feed from the network to subscribe to in the app. This effectively ends its distribution agreement with Apple while the two sides negotiate new terms. Discussions are apparently ongoing and CNN's...