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
Monday February 3, 2020 11:56 am PST by Tim Hardwick
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...
How to Add Funds to Your Apple ID on iPhone and iPad
Monday November 11, 2019 9:38 am PST by Tim Hardwick
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
Monday September 16, 2019 5:13 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
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
Wednesday April 4, 2018 1:50 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
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 'Records Every Tap' in App Store to Filter New Personalized Recommendations Feature
Wednesday June 17, 2026 6:27 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Last week, Apple introduced a new discovery feature for the App Store called Personalized Collections, or app recommendations based on individual interests and behavior. Apple pitched the announcement as another way for developers to have their app discovered, but there has already been some pushback from a privacy perspective.
App Store user analytics collected by Apple (Image: Mysk)
The new ...
Apple Adds Personalized Recommendations and New Marketing Tools to the App Store
Monday June 15, 2026 5:18 am PDT by Hartley Charlton
Apple last week announced a series of new App Store features, including personalized app recommendations and expanded tools for developers to market their apps.
The most visible change for users is Personalized Collections, a new discovery feature that surfaces app and game recommendations tailored to individual interests and behavior. Alongside each recommendation, new "App Notes" explain...
Apple Criticizes U.S. Antitrust Bill That Targets the App Store
Thursday June 11, 2026 2:49 pm PDT by Juli Clover
United States Senators Chuck Grassley and Amy Klobuchar this week reintroduced the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA) that targets major tech companies like Apple, and Apple is not happy to see it back.
The bipartisan bill is reminiscent of the Digital Markets Act in the European Union, banning large platforms from favoring their own products or services, limiting competitors' ...
Apple Introduces Major App Store Subscription Overhaul at WWDC 2026
Thursday June 11, 2026 6:50 am PDT by Hartley Charlton
Apple announced a sweeping set of new subscription tools for App Store developers at WWDC 2026, including cross-developer subscription bundles, group and enterprise purchasing options, retention tools, and a streamlined submission workflow.
Subscription Bundles and Suites
The main change is a new Bundle and Suite system that lets developers partner with each other to offer combined...
Apple Updates App Store Guidelines With Stricter Rules for Low-Quality Apps
Tuesday June 9, 2026 3:52 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple updated its App Store Review Guidelines this week, adding stricter language around low-quality apps.
The 4.3 Spam rule already barred overly simple apps in saturated categories, but Apple now includes language saying low-effort apps could be pulled from the App Store. Apps in oversaturated categories that are not updated, improved, or do not attract customers may be removed, according...
Apple Highlights App Store Study: $1.4 Trillion in Sales Last Year, More Than 90% Commission-Free
Thursday June 4, 2026 7:58 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple today highlighted a new study by economists at Analysis Group that outlines four key App Store stats for 2025.
Ahead of WWDC 2026 next week, Apple's core message with this press release is that the App Store is reaching new heights and that "developers continue to thrive globally."
App Store ecosystem facilitated a record $1.4 trillion in total billings and sales
Apple received no...
Apple Bringing App Store Age Verification to Texas as SB 2420 Takes Effect June 4
Wednesday June 3, 2026 12:52 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today said App Store rules in Texas are changing due to the enforcement of SB 2420, a law that adds age assurance requirements for app marketplaces and developers.
Apple users located in Texas will soon be required to confirm whether they are 18 years or older when creating an Apple Account. Apple Accounts for users under 18 must be part of a Family Sharing group, and parents need to...
Apple Announces This Year's App Design Award Winners Ahead of WWDC 2026
Tuesday June 2, 2026 10:18 am PDT by Juli Clover
WWDC is set to start on Monday, June 8, and ahead of the keynote event, Apple has announced the winners of its annual Apple Design Awards. The Apple Design Awards recognize apps and games for their innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement.
Apple chose one app and one game for each of the six award categories.
Delight and Fun - Grug (App) and Is This Seat Taken? (Game)
Innovati...
Apple Asks Supreme Court to Review App Store Contempt Ruling
Thursday May 21, 2026 2:58 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today formally asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the series of rulings that led to changes to App Store linking rules and fees in the United States.
In 2021, Apple largely won its legal dispute with Epic Games, but Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Apple to relax its anti-steering rules and let developers link to alternate payment options in apps. Apple complied, but charged a...
Apple Provides Update on App Store, Highlights Key 2025 Safety Stats
Wednesday May 20, 2026 8:33 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared stats that paint the App Store as a safe and trusted place for both customers and developers, even though the reality is that fraudulent or deceptive apps continue to make it past Apple's review process from time to time.
In 2025, Apple said its App Review team evaluated more than 9.1 million App Store submissions, with a mix of human review and AI. The company rejected...
Fortnite Returns to the App Store Worldwide as Epic Signals 'Final Battle' With Apple
Tuesday May 19, 2026 6:08 am PDT by Hartley Charlton
Fortnite is back on the App Store in every country except Australia, Epic Games announced today, as the company declared it is entering the "final battle" of its long-running legal dispute with Apple.
Epic said the decision to push Fortnite back onto iOS globally was prompted by Apple's own words to the U.S. Supreme Court, in which Apple acknowledged that "regulators around the world are...
India Refuses to Let Apple Pause App Store Antitrust Case
Tuesday May 19, 2026 4:52 am PDT by Hartley Charlton
An Indian court has ruled that Apple must cooperate with a government investigation into its App Store practices, rejecting the company's attempt to put the case on hold (via Reuters).
The Delhi High Court ruling keeps a probe by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) alive, which found in 2024 that Apple had abused its dominant position in the iPhone apps market. The CCI wants Apple's...
Apple Working on Plan to Allow AI Agent Apps on the App Store
Wednesday May 13, 2026 11:02 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple is looking into ways to better support apps that include AI agents and AI coding capabilities in the App Store, reports The Information. Apple is designing a system that would maintain its security and privacy standards while allowing for AI app features, but details on how the system will work are unavailable.
Apple started blocking updates for some popular vibe coding apps in March...
Apple Sued for Pulling Co-Viewing App Rave From the App Store
Thursday May 7, 2026 10:41 am PDT by Juli Clover
Rave, a cross-platform service that lets users watch movies and TV shows together, today filed a series of antitrust lawsuits against Apple after Apple removed the Rave app from the App Store in August 2025.
According to Rave, Apple cited "unspecified allegations of fraud and vague concerns about content moderation" when pulling the app. Rave alleges Apple targeted the service because Rave...
Apple Asks Supreme Court to Pause Epic Games Case Ahead of App Store Fee Ruling
Monday May 4, 2026 4:08 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court, asking for a stay on App Store fee calculations while it waits to hear whether the Supreme Court will weigh in on the latest developments in its legal battle with Epic Games.
Apple argues that without a stay, it will face irreparable harm. Apple says it will have to litigate the fundamentals of its business model with the...
Epic Games Wins Reversal of Stay in App Store Fee Legal Battle
Wednesday April 29, 2026 5:05 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple will not be able to delay a district court battle over fee calculations while it waits to hear whether the U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in on the latest developments in its long-running dispute with Epic Games.
On Tuesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an earlier decision letting Apple keep its current zero-fee link-out commission structure in place while it appeals to...
Apple Introduces App Store Monthly Subscriptions With 12-Month Commitment
Monday April 27, 2026 12:52 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
Apple today announced the launch of a new subscription option for App Store developers: monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment. The new option allows developers to offer subscribers discounted pricing typically associated with an annual subscription but paid on a monthly basis to keep payments more affordable.
This new payment option allows you to offer subscribers more affordable...
Apple Pulled Cal AI for Deceptive Billing Design, Not External Payments
Tuesday April 21, 2026 12:54 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple recently cracked down on Cal AI, an app owned by MyFitnessPal that tried to skirt Apple's in-app purchase rules. Apple told TechCrunch that it briefly pulled the calorie-counting app last week for violating purchasing guidelines and using a deceptive billing design.
When the app was pulled last week, there was speculation that it was removed for implementing web-based payments,...
Apple Quietly Tweaked the iOS App Store App – Here's What's Changed
Friday April 17, 2026 2:32 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
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
Wednesday April 15, 2026 7:10 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
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...