DEVELOPER ECONOMY

Apr 30 2026TECHNOLOGY

How Apple’s App Store Really Works Behind the Scenes

The App Store started small in 2008 with just 500 apps but now holds over 1. 8 million. Most come from outside developers—99. 99% to be exact. Most apps (85%) don’t pay Apple anything, yet the store still generates $1. 3 trillion globally in 2024. In South Korea alone, transactions hit $27 billion.

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