Apple Announces Countdown to 25 Billion App Store Downloads with $10,000 Gift Card Prize

Apple has posted a new feature on its site promoting a countdown to 25 billion downloads for the App Store.

As of today, nearly 25 billion apps have been downloaded worldwide. Which is almost as amazing as the apps themselves. So we want to say thanks. Download the 25 billionth app, and you could win a US$10,000 App Store Gift Card. Just visit the App Store and download your best app yet.

Users can enter the promotion either by purchasing/downloading an app from the App Store or by filling out an entry form. The contest winner will be the individual who either downloads the 25 billionth app as determined by Apple or who submits the alternate entry form immediately after the 24,999,999,999th app download, whichever comes first.

app store 25 billion countdown
Apple has run similar promotions in the past, with a nearly identical one for ten billion App Store downloads taking place just over a year ago and another one for ten billion iTunes Music Store downloads coming in February 2010. Earlier promotions occurred at the one billion song and app marks and at the 100 million song milestone.

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Top Rated Comments

skellener Avatar
179 months ago
US$10,000 App Store Gift Card? Pffft... How about a US$10,000 Apple Store Gift Card!!
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
b166er Avatar
179 months ago
it would take me years to spend a $10,000 app store gift card.

it would take me seconds to spend a $10,000 apple gift card.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dgalvan123 Avatar
179 months ago
Imagine if the person who won the $10,000 gift card donated it to a school district? That would allow the schools to get over 666 iPad textbooks (at $15 per textbook).
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
troop231 Avatar
179 months ago
Why not also give the developer of whatever app was downloaded a $10,000 Apple STORE gift card.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
niuniu Avatar
179 months ago
I was offered 25 Billion monies in an email yesterday. Only have to transfer 2000 dollars via Western Union to get it too.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mopatops Avatar
179 months ago
Why are the last two digits blacked out? (in the pic)
To signify the speed at which the counter is increasing.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)