App Store downloads surpass 3 billion

Apple announced that App Store downloads have now exceeded three billion--the virtual storefront surpassed the 2 billion benchmark in late September, and topped 1 billion last April. "Three billion applications downloaded in less than 18 months--this is like nothing we've ever seen before," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a prepared statement.

App Store downloads increased by 51 percent in December 2009 compared to November totals, according to data issued by mobile application analytics provider Flurry. Application downloads via iPod touch devices eclipsed iPhone downloads by 172 percent on Christmas Day 2009, with total iPod touch download volumes growing by nearly 1,000 percent on Dec. 25 compared to the average of all previous Fridays during the month--Flurry speculates that in addition to new iPod touch 3G models received as gifts, iTunes gift cards also drove downloads across earlier generation iPod touch devices. In addition, iPod touch download volumes topped iPhone downloads by 104 percent on Dec. 26.

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