25 billionth download from Apple's iOS App Store was 'Where's My Water?'

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014


A user from Qingdao, China, downloaded the free application "Where's My Water?" as the 25 billionth download from the App Store, Apple announced on Monday.



User Chunli Fu was the winner of Apple's contest, earning them a $10,000 iTunes Gift Card. "Where's My Water" is a mobile game available on the App Store and published by Disney, available both as a free "lite" version and a full paid copy for 99 cents.



"We’d like to thank our customers and developers for helping us achieve this historic milestone of 25 billion apps downloaded," Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, said a press release. "When we launched the App Store less than four years ago, we never imagined that mobile apps would become the phenomenon they have, or that developers would create such an incredible selection of apps for iOS users."



There are currently more than 550,000 applications available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch in 123 countries around the world. More than 170,000 of those applications are available natively for the iPad.



Applications on the App Store are available in 21 different categories ranging from games to sports to business or health and fitness. More than $4 billion has been paid out to developers who sell software on the App Store.











The App Store reached the 25 billion download milestone on Saturday, though Apple did not announce the winner of the $10,000 gift card until Monday. Over the weekend, the page counting down to the number was updated to say: "A billion thanks. 25 times over. The App Store has reached 25 billion downloads. Thanks for getting us there."



[ View article on AppleInsider ]

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member
    China, huh?



    Guess that good will should help in sales and court cases!

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  • Reply 2 of 34
    icoco3icoco3 Posts: 1,474member
    "Where's My Water"??



    "Where's My iTunes Gift Card????????????
  • Reply 3 of 34
    jmmxjmmx Posts: 341member
    According to the NY Times:



    Quote:

    Apple’s study said the company also supported an additional 210,000 jobs among companies creating apps for Apple devices like the iPhone and iPad. The study based that figure on the 466,000 app-related jobs that TechNet, a high-tech lobbying group, recently estimated existed in the United States. Apple’s study estimated that 45 percent of that figure could be credited to development of software for Apple devices, based on an analysis of online job listings.



    But overall, the article has some very silly things to say - suggesting that Apple does not really create any jobs at all!



    To see my rebuttal:

    http://wp.me/p1TBc9-49
  • Reply 4 of 34
    ghostface147ghostface147 Posts: 1,629member
    China. Funny.
  • Reply 5 of 34
    prynneprynne Posts: 6member
    Honestly, how would you spend a $10,000 gift card on iTunes? Some movies, music, apps...still, I think it'd take a while...
  • Reply 6 of 34
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member
    So, now, Foxconn's not even giving them water!!?!??!

    Oh, Apple! For shame!!!
  • Reply 7 of 34
    j1h15233j1h15233 Posts: 274member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prynne View Post


    Honestly, how would you spend a $10,000 gift card on iTunes? Some movies, music, apps...still, I think it'd take a while...



    You buy things for the next 10-20 years for free. That's how you spend it haha. The problem for this kid will be when one of his friends hacks his account and drains the money.
  • Reply 8 of 34
    pslicepslice Posts: 153member
    You can't even search for this app..... "No results"
  • Reply 9 of 34
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pslice View Post


    You can't even search for this app..... "No results"



    You're in the US. He's in China. There's probably a reason you can't find it.
  • Reply 10 of 34
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    1) A Disney app, eh? With so many apps being sold at essentially the same time there could be a tiny window with several apps that could all be the 25th billion. This makes me wonder they then choose which app they want to use for marketing purposes. They certainly don't want one of the many sex app as the winner. Perhaps choosing someone from China would also curry favour as that is fastest growing market for all things Apple and will soon be more valuable than the US.



    2) It's great that we live in a world where a contest can span the globe an touch 50 countries equally. I love living in the future.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jmmx View Post


    According to the NY Times:



    But overall, the article has some very silly things to say - suggesting that Apple does not really create any jobs at all!



    To see my rebuttal:

    http://wp.me/p1TBc9-49



    Jim, really off topic for the 3rd reply.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prynne View Post


    Honestly, how would you spend a $10,000 gift card on iTunes? Some movies, music, apps...still, I think it'd take a while...



    Sure, but it's suppose to take awhile. The card is better because it doesn't have an expiration date. Plus, I think he can gift items.



    If Apple allows you to use your iTS account for NFC payments then it becomes even better. They already let you use your iTS account to buy items at Apple Stores, but I don't think his gift card would work with that.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by boredumb View Post


    So, now, Foxconn's not even giving them water!!?!??!

    Oh, Apple! For shame!!!



    LOL Something else to blame Apple for.
  • Reply 11 of 34
    caliminiuscaliminius Posts: 944member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prynne View Post


    Honestly, how would you spend a $10,000 gift card on iTunes? Some movies, music, apps...still, I think it'd take a while...



    Maybe he should submit a useless but functional app to the App Store and set its price at $10K. Then he buys his own app with the gift card and walks away with a nice $8K paycheck from Apple. (Or to make it less obvious, he could have a friend submit the app.)
  • Reply 12 of 34
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pslice View Post


    You can't even search for this app..... "No results"



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    You're in the US. He's in China. There's probably a reason you can't find it.



    Came up right away for me in Google and in iTunes Store.
  • Reply 13 of 34
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    Came up right away for me in Google and in iTunes Store.



    There needs to be ONE (Mac) App Store. There needs to be ONE iTunes store.



    Ticks me off so much.
  • Reply 14 of 34
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,386member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    1) A Disney app, eh? With so many apps being sold at essentially the same time there could be a tiny window with several apps that could all be the 25th billion. This makes me wonder they then choose which app they want to use for marketing purposes. They certainly don't want one of the many sex app as the winner. Perhaps choosing someone from China would also curry favour as that is fastest growing market for all things Apple and will soon be more valuable than the US.



    That's probably what happens, and honestly I have no problem with it. You have at least several thousands of apps that were downloaded at virtually the exact same instant, down to the microsecond, and I expect Apple gives itself the freedom to select which app to publicize and the winner to choose. Its common sense, and it's fine, not some sort of conspiracy. Are they gonna publicize a sex positions app, a Google app, an alternate browser, etc? Of course not. It's gonna be an app of pretty high quality, as it will no doubt get attention and many will download it with this announcement. Anyone who thinks otherwise is naive.
  • Reply 15 of 34
    j1h15233j1h15233 Posts: 274member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    There needs to be ONE (Mac) App Store. There needs to be ONE iTunes store.



    Ticks me off so much.



    Who cares if there are different stores for different countries? I wouldn't want to go to iTunes and search through 50 different apps to find the English version.
  • Reply 16 of 34
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post


    That's probably what happens, and honestly I have no problem with it. You have at least several thousands of apps that were downloaded at virtually the exact same instant, down to the microsecond, and I expect Apple gives itself the freedom to select which app to publicize and the winner to choose. Its common sense, and it's fine, not some sort of conspiracy. Are they gonna publicize a sex positions app, a Google app, an alternate browser, etc? Of course not. It's gonna be an app of pretty high quality, as it will no doubt get attention and many will download it with this announcement. Anyone who thinks otherwise is naive.



    I don't think you can have a contest if it is going to be rigged. I would suspect that it was audited by an independent firm such as Deloitte. If they let an app on the app store, it deserves a chance to win, as does anyone who purchases it. Otherwise how can we trust anything that Apple does or says.
  • Reply 17 of 34
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by j1h15233 View Post


    Who cares if there are different stores for different countries? I wouldn't want to go to iTunes and search through 50 different apps to find the English version.



    You're joking, right? You advocate against the benefits of long tail sales simply because you (erroneously) think that it would be "hard to find the English version"?



    We're supposedly getting an iTunes and (Mac) App Store redesign soon. That'll prove to you why we need a single worldwide store.
  • Reply 18 of 34
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    You're joking, right? You advocate against the benefits of long tail sales simply because you (erroneously) think that it would be "hard to find the English version"?



    We're supposedly getting an iTunes and (Mac) App Store redesign soon. That'll prove to you why we need a single worldwide store.



    There wouldn't be any difference. What is available in each country is probably a factor of many things such regulations, licensing, taxes, distribution agreements, etc. not language. For example Disney may not want to distribute that app in the US which is why you can't find it.
  • Reply 19 of 34
    icoco3icoco3 Posts: 1,474member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pslice View Post


    You can't even search for this app..... "No results"



    Just look at the "Top 25" as it is currently #3
  • Reply 20 of 34
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    There wouldn't be any difference.



    Tens of millions of more sales/downloads because your app is available to all markets on Earth isn't a difference?



    Quote:

    What is available in each country is probably a factor of many things such regulations, licensing, taxes, distribution agreements, etc. not language.



    Language is immaterial. I'm saying Apple needs to take care of everything else and offer all apps, music, movies, books, and TV shows worldwide.



    Quote:

    For example Disney may not want to distribute that app in the US which is why you can't find it.



    Oh, it's there. And "not want"? They don't want to get more money? O~kay.
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