Apple App Store Users Spent Nearly $2 Billion the Week After Christmas

Appleā€™s well-trained customer base showed up as expected in the wake of Christmas 2020, spending $1.8 billion on App Store purchases that week alone.

ā€œNow more than ever before, customers around the world have found inspiration and value in the breadth and quality of Appleā€™s services, which have impacted their lives in big and small ways every day,ā€ Apple senior VP Eddy Cue said in a canned statement. ā€œWeā€™re incredibly optimistic about where weā€™re headed, and we believe that the opportunities for developers and the creative community are endless, as are the positive and meaningful benefits to our customers.ā€

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Here’s the data.

App Store customers spent $1.8 billion on digital goods and services during the week between Christmas Eve and New Yearā€™s Eve, which Apple says was ā€œdriven largely by spending on games.ā€ New Yearā€™s Day set a new daily record, with $540 million spent that day. Developers have now earned more than $200 billion since the App Store launched in 2008.

The most downloaded apps of 2020 were Zoom and Disney+. Apple Music had a record year, with no corroborating evidence. And the Apple TV app is ā€œnow available on over 1 billion screens in over 100 countries and regions,ā€ which is quite different from ā€œbeing used on over 1 billion screens.ā€ But Apple TV+ ā€œhas sparked global conversations,ā€ Apple adds. Also, Apple News ā€œdelivered curated world-class journalism in 2020.ā€ Lots of milestones all around.

Finally, Apple notes that its attempt to get antitrust regulators to slow down, App Store Small Business Program, has now launched, offering ā€œthe vast majority of developers a reduced commission to empower reinvestment in their growth and expansion in 2021 and beyond.ā€

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Conversation 10 comments

  • arthemis

    06 January, 2021 - 1:13 pm

    <p>Omg, Apples newspeak is really, really creepy.</p>

  • j5

    Premium Member
    06 January, 2021 - 1:44 pm

    <p>I owned Android phones for years since smartphones came out and I never purchased apps from the Google Play store except for PocketCasts. However, once I switched to iPhone in 2017 I've purchased apps every year I think, a couple of Twitter apps, some health apps, and a couple of games. I don't know what it is about the App Store that makes it easy to purchase apps? Maybe Apple has better research far as making customers purchase things in their store versus Google's. Even my hard cord Android friends refuse to buy apps like I think the normie iPhone user does. I have non-techie friends with iPhones and purchasing apps is common for them.</p>

  • crunchyfrog

    06 January, 2021 - 2:06 pm

    <p>When you say, "well-trained customer base" are you saying that from an angry Android users point of view or acknowledging that Apple users just spend more time personalizing their devices with apps?</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      07 January, 2021 - 9:43 am

      Neither. Also, this kind of us vs. them mentality is what’s wrong with the world, so get with the program.

  • crunchyfrog

    06 January, 2021 - 2:11 pm

    <p>Apple's ecosystem lends itself to all of its devices which is something Android users just do not have. Case in point; I can download a weather app on my iPhone and that app will often also work the same or better on my iPad and also have an Apple Watch companion app as well, often without having to install them separately.</p><p>Android users really don't have this ability with most apps for a lot of reasons but mainly because Google does not promote Android much if at all on tablets and wearables.</p>

  • sno_wacko

    Premium Member
    06 January, 2021 - 2:39 pm

    <p>I buy apps for two reasons, both Android and Apple.</p><p><br></p><ol><li>Is it worth the money? </li><li>Removing ads. Sometimes #1 and #2 are combined. </li></ol><p><br></p><p>I really really dislike the insidious popup ads in the 'free' apps and will happily drop $5 on a game or app to get rid of them and enable extra features. </p>

  • glenn8878

    06 January, 2021 - 4:27 pm

    <p>I hope to cancel Apple TV before my free trial ends.</p>

  • arthemis

    06 January, 2021 - 5:19 pm

    <blockquote><em><a href="#606087">In reply to lvthunder:</a></em></blockquote><p>I think youre confused. Apple doesnt own Roku.</p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    07 January, 2021 - 4:45 am

    <p>Yes, I have just received a company iPhone, which has Apple TV+ for 1 year free, but we aren't allowed to use the app on company devices.</p>

  • RonV42

    Premium Member
    07 January, 2021 - 7:46 am

    <p>I am glad the Apple mindset hasn't taken over our household. We use Android and the only apps I have purchased and shared with the family is Accubattery, Pocketcasts, and Textra. I don't see the need to switch out apps every year or every time we get a new device because these apps "just work". The other apps are free or from stock android. I am happy my kids don't spend hours a day on their phones wasting time on social media and trying to watch video on tiny screens..</p>

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