The App Store is Apple's digital software distribution platform for iOS devices. First introduced in 2008, the App Store allows software developers to distribute content that has been created specifically for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. Apps are also available on the Apple Watch through the iOS App Store.
There are well over a million apps in the App Store, and customers have downloaded more than 100 billion apps since the App Store debuted. App Store apps are available with three pricing options: free (and usually supported by ads), free with in-app purchases, or a set cost starting at $0.99 in the US.
In 2010, Apple introduced the Mac App Store for distributing content on Macs, and in 2015, Apple introduced the tvOS App Store, an app store for to the fourth-generation Apple TV.
App Store
By MacRumors Staff
App Store How Tos
How to Download Large Apps Over Cellular on iPhone and iPad
Apple used to limit the size of App Store downloads over cellular to 150MBs to prevent iPhone users from accidentally downloading a large app over 3G or 4G networks and using up all their data allowance or running up data charges.
In May 2019, Apple upped the limit of over-the-air downloads to 200MB, but offered no way to opt out of the limit at the time, leaving users with unlimited data...
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How to Add Funds to Your Apple ID on iPhone and iPad
It used to be the case that adding funds to your Apple ID required redeeming an iTunes Gift Card bought from a store, but Apple now lets you use a debit or credit card right on your iPhone or iPad to do the same thing.
Adding funds to your Apple ID allows you to make purchases from the iTunes Store, iBooks Store, and App Store on any of your Apple devices. It's easy to add funds to your...
How to Update Apps in iOS 13
If you recently updated your iPhone to iOS 13 or your iPad to iPadOS 13 and you can't work out how to manually update your installed apps, then you've come to the right place.
Apple has changed the way you update apps in iOS. In earlier versions of its mobile operating system, app updates lived in their own tab in the App Store app, but that has since had to make way for a new Apple Arcade...
How to Cancel App Store Subscriptions
Several TV and music services and other apps offer free trials through the App Store that automatically renew to become paid subscriptions after the trial period ends.
If you want to prevent an App Store subscription from running beyond the trial period or cancel a subscription you're currently paying for, then read on. This article explains how to cancel any App Store subscription on iOS,...
App Store Articles
App Store and iTunes Store Experiencing Issues
Some customers are having problems with the App Store, Mac App Store, and iTunes Store, according to Apple's System Status page.
The three services have been experiencing issues since 7:22 p.m. Eastern Time. Not all users are affected, but if you've been having trouble accessing or downloading apps, the outage is the reason why.
We'll update this article when the problems have been...
Apple Now Blocks 18+ App Downloads in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore Without Age Assurance
Apple today provided an update on its age assurance tools for developers in Brazil, Australia, Singapore, Utah, and Louisiana. Developers in these areas will face new age assurance and parental consent obligations, and Apple's APIs will help them meet these upcoming requirements.
As of February 24, Apple is blocking users in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore from downloading apps rated 18+...
Apple, Google Commit to Fairer App Store Practices in UK
Apple and Google have agreed to a series of changes aimed at making their app stores fairer for developers, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced today.
The concrete commitments come after the CMA found the two companies had a duopoly and designated them as having "strategic market status" in mobile platforms last October. The designation is not a finding of wrongdoing,...
Apple to Soon Take Up to 30% Cut From All Patreon Creators in iOS App
Apple has set a new deadline of November 1, 2026 for all Patreon creators to switch from Patreon's legacy billing system to the App Store's in-app purchase system in the Patreon app on the iPhone and iPad, as reported by TechCrunch.
Note: This image has been edited to include a pile of cash.
Patreon is a platform where creators such as YouTubers can receive payments from fans, which can be a...
Apple to Show More Ads in App Store Starting in March
In an email to developers this week, Apple indicated that it will begin showing additional ads in App Store search results starting Tuesday, March 3.
The extra ads will first appear in the App Store in the U.K. and Japan, followed by other markets like the U.S. by the end of March, according to Apple.
Apple first announced that it would be expanding the number of ad slots in the App Store ...
Apple Accuses European Commission of 'Political Delay Tactics' Over App Store Changes
Apple claims the European Commission is refusing to let to implement App Store changes, instead using "political delay tactics" to levy unfair investigations and fines. Apple provided the statement to Bloomberg in response to MacPaw's decision to shut down alternative iOS app marketplace Setapp Mobile in the EU because of the complicated business terms that it has to deal with.
The European...
App Store and Apple TV Experiencing Outage
Apple's App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple TV service are experiencing an outage at the current time, according to Apple's System Status page.
Apple says that some users may be experiencing issues with the App Store and iTunes Store. Apple also says some users may be seeing intermittent issues with Apple TV. The Apple TV Channels feature is down too, and users may be unable to access...
Here's How 2025 Was a 'Record-Breaking Year' Across Apple's Services
Apple today announced that 2025 was a "record-breaking year" for many of its services, including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts.
"Apple services had a banner year, rolling out game-changing features for customers while shattering records," said Apple's services chief Eddy Cue, in a press release. "The numbers reflect the incredible enthusiasm of our customers,...
Apple Appeals $1.8 Billion UK Antitrust Ruling Over App Store Fees
Apple has asked the UK Court of Appeal to overturn a £1.5 billion ($1.76 billion) antitrust ruling that found the company overcharged millions of App Store users, escalating one of the most significant competition cases ever brought against the company in the country (via The Guardian).
The application follows a decision in October by the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), which concluded ...
Apple to Introduce New App Store Fee Structure in Brazil Following Antitrust Settlement
Brazilian regulators have approved a settlement that will require Apple to change how the App Store operates on iPhone in the country, including allowing alternative app stores, expanded payment options, and a defined new fee structure.
In a press release, Brazil's Administrative Council of Economic Defense (CADE), said its court has approved a Term of Commitment to Cease proposed by Apple...
Texas App Store Age Verification Law Blocked by Federal Judge
A Texas federal judge today blocked an App Store age verification law that was set to go into effect on January 1, 2026, which means Apple may not have to support the changes after all.
The Texas App Store Accountability Act (SB2420) requires Apple and other app marketplaces to confirm user age when a person creates an Apple Account. Apple Accounts for users under 18 would need to join a...
Apple to Allow Alternative App Stores and More on iOS in Brazil by April
Due to regulatory action, Apple has agreed to allow alternative app stores, third-party payment systems for in-app purchases, and in-app links to external offers on iOS in Brazil, according to legal news website MLex and Brazilian blog Tecnoblog.
This means that iPhone users in Brazil would gain access to options beyond Apple's App Store, such as the AltStore from Riley Testut and Shane...
App Store Search Results to Show More Ads Next Year, Says Apple
Apple will next year introduce more ads in the App Store "to increase opportunity" in search results, the company has announced.
According to an update to Apple's Ads website, additional ads will appear across search queries, appearing at the top as well as further down in App Store results, and existing campaigns won't need to do anything to be eligible.
Search is the way most people find...
Japan App Store Gets Alternative Marketplaces, Third-Party Payments and More
Apple today introduced several changes to the App Store in Japan to meet the requirements of the Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA) that goes into effect on December 18. The MSCA is similar to Europe's Digital Markets Act (DMA) so the Japanese App Store will work a lot like the EU App Store, but there are some differences.
Here's a quick rundown of what's changing as of today:
Si...
'Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen' Now Available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Well-known game developer Halfbrick this week launched Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen, an iPhone, iPad, and Mac adventure game that's currently exclusive to Apple's platforms. The game was made for children and adults who are fans of the wildly popular Bluey animated series.
Like the show, the game features Bluey, an anthropomorphized six-year-old blue heeler puppy, along with her sister...
Apple Wins Ability to Charge Fees on External Payment Links as Appeals Court Modifies Epic Injunction
Apple should be able to collect a reasonable commission on purchases made using external links included in iOS apps, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled today (via Reuters). The U.S. Court of Appeals partially reversed sanctions imposed on Apple after Apple was found to have willfully violated an injunction in the ongoing Epic Games vs. Apple legal battle.
Since April, Apple has been forced to...
Most Downloaded iPhone Apps of 2025: ChatGPT, Threads, and Google
Apple today shared a list of the most downloaded U.S. App Store apps and games in 2025, highlighting the top free and paid iPhone and iPad titles.
ChatGPT was the number one free app that iPhone users downloaded in 2025, followed by Threads, Google, TikTok, and WhatsApp. Google Gemini was the only other chatbot app to make the list, coming in at number 10. Top paid iPhone apps included...
Tim Cook Goes to Washington to Fight App Store Age Verification Legislation
Apple CEO Tim Cook was in Washington, D.C. today to meet with the House Energy and Commerce Committee about the upcoming App Store Accountability Act, reports Bloomberg. The App Store Accountability Act would require Apple to verify a person's age when an Apple Account is created using a "commercially available method or process," and get parental consent for each app that a child under 16...
Apple Faces Scrutiny as Sanctioned Entities Slip Through App Store Controls
Apple's App Store has been unlawfully hosting dozens of apps tied to U.S.-sanctioned companies, according to a new watchdog report (via The Washington Post).
The Tech Transparency Project, a non-profit advocacy group, flagged 52 apps in the App Store that had links to entities found on the Treasury Department's list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs), a designation that prohibits U.S....
How Apple is Helping Apps Comply With Australia's Social Media Ban for Kids
Australia's new social media law goes into effect on December 10, 2025, and ahead of that date, Apple is sharing information on developer tools that are designed to help social media apps adhere to the law.
Children under the age of 16 will no longer be allowed to use Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, YouTube (except for YouTube Kids), Snapchat, X, Twitch, Threads, and Kick in Australia,...
