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
Apple Quietly Tweaked the iOS App Store App – Here's What's Changed
No, you aren't going crazy – Apple has quietly made a backend change to the App Store app in iOS that switches the location of the Updates tab and renames it to make it more prominent.
In the App Store app, you can see the change by tapping your profile picture in the top-right corner. The "Apps & Purchase History" tab used to be at the top the list, but it has switched places with...
Apple Threatened to Pull Grok From App Store Over Sexualized Images
Apple privately warned Elon Musk's xAI company in January that it would remove the Grok app from the App Store unless the company put a stop to the chatbot's nude and sexualized deepfakes, according to a letter Apple sent to U.S. senators and obtained by NBC News ($).
Earlier this year, Grok's AI capabilities came under scrutiny after X users shared nonconsensual sexualized images of women...
Apple Removes Freecash App From App Store After Months of Data Harvesting
Apple removed scam app Freecash from the App Store this week after the app spent months harvesting data from iPhone users, reports TechCrunch.
Freecash reached the number two spot on the U.S. App Store charts in January after being heavily marketed on TikTok. It promised users up to $35 per hour for watching TikTok content, but it was collecting swaths of user data. Back in January, Wired...
Some iPhone Apps Receive Mysterious Update 'From Apple'
Apple appears to be quietly updating some apps, based on curious new update notes that have appeared on the App Store.
Over the last week, some app updates have included notes that suggest the update is coming from Apple rather than an app developer. "This update from Apple will improve the functionality of this app. No new features are included," reads the description.
Some of the apps...
Apple Asks Court to Pause App Store Fee Fight While It Petitions Supreme Court in Epic Games Case
Apple plans to ask the United States Supreme Court to weigh in on the App Store fee restrictions and contempt of court ruling levied against it in the ongoing Epic Games vs. Apple legal battle.
In a filing on April 3 (via TechCrunch), Apple asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to hold off on a plan that would see the U.S. Northern District of California decide on a reasonable commission...
Apple Turns Off Payments in Russia
As of April 1, payment processing is no longer available for purchases made across the App Store and other Apple services in Russia, according to Apple.
In a new support document, Apple said new purchases, in-app purchases, and subscription renewals are no longer available in Russia unless a user already has funds in their Apple Account balance, which can continue to be used.
This change...
Apple Pulls Vibe Coding App 'Anything' From App Store, Escalating Enforcement [Updated]
Apple has removed a "vibe coding" app from its App Store, reports The Information. AI app building app "Anything" was pulled from the App Store, and Anything co-founder Dhruv Amin was told that his app violated Guideline 2.5.2.
"Vibe coding" is a term used for code generated using AI based on natural language with no coding experience necessary. Anything and other apps like it let users...
Apple Updates App Store Connect With More Than 100 New Metrics
App Store Connect is a tool that allows app developers to view App Store metrics such as total downloads, and today it is receiving a major update.
"Analytics in App Store Connect receives its biggest update since its launch," said Apple, in a post on its developer news portal.
Apple says App Store Connect has a refreshed user experience that makes it easier to measure the performance of...
Apple Made Nearly $900 Million From Generative AI Apps Last Year
Apple collected nearly $900 million in App Store fees from generative AI apps in 2025, according to data from analysis firm AppMagic, covered by The Wall Street Journal ($).
The overwhelming majority of Apple's AI app commission revenue came courtesy of ChatGPT downloads leading to subsequent subscriptions, which alone accounted for around 75 percent of the above total. Elon Musk's Grok app...
Apple Quietly Blocks Updates for Popular 'Vibe Coding' Apps [Updated]
Apple has quietly blocked AI "vibe coding" apps, such as Replit and Vibecode, from releasing App Store updates unless they make changes, The Information reports.
"Vibe coding" tools allow users with little to no programming experience to build apps or websites using natural language prompts. Their accessibility has driven rapid adoption among both developers and non-technical users.
Apple ...
Apple Wins Decisive Victory in Musi App Store Removal Lawsuit
A lawsuit brought against Apple by music streaming app Musi has been dismissed by a federal judge, after she ruled that Apple's developer agreement gives it the right to remove any app from the App Store at any time, "with or without cause."
Launched in 2013 by two Canadian teenagers, Musi was an app that played YouTube videos in a stripped-down interface, showed its own ads (removable for...
Apple to Cut App Store Developer Fees in China From March 15
Apple has announced it is lowering App Store developer fees in China from March 15, with commission rates for standard in-app purchases (IAPs) set to change to 25%, down from 30%.
In an update on its Developer blog, Apple also said the commission rate for qualifying IAPs under the App Store Small Business Program and Mini Apps Partner Program (and auto-renewals of IAP subscriptions after the ...
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,...
