To mark the download of the 25 billionth app from the Apple App Store the company has released a series of all-time top 25 lists for app downloads. Unsurprisingly games are at the top of the lists in a big way with Angry Birds being the all-time top paid for app, Fruit Ninja at number two then Doodle Jump and Cut the Rope. Angry Birds Seasons comes in at number 5 and it's not until we get to number 10 do we get a non-game.
In the free apps it's different with utilities filling the top spots with Facebook, Pandora Radio, Words with Friends Free and Skype filling the top four places.
Apple invented the App phenomenon which has now spread to every other computing platform including Windows. The quantity, quality and success of apps is now widely considered as an indicator of the overall success of an operating system. This is in start contrast to other factors which were important in the past but have faded now.
Apps are also amazingly popular on Google's Android operating system but have struggled more on the Blackberry Playbook and HP TouchPad (which was discontinued). While we can be certain that apps in Windows 8 will also be popular the Windows Store is currently fairly barren and it will be many years, if ever, before it catches up with the volume of apps available for iOS and Android.
The full charts, which were compiled by MacStories is below and we can be sure that software developers will be pouring over the list to see what is most popular. The good news is that lists such as this are very unlikely to ever stifle innovation and prevent new types of apps from appearing in the future.
Top Paid iPhone
Top Free iPhone
Top Paid iPad
Top Free iPad
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Ghacks is a technology news blog that was founded in 2005 by Martin Brinkmann. It has since then become one of the most popular tech news sites on the Internet with five authors and regular contributions from freelance writers.
Pardon me? “Apple invented the App phenomenon”? There used to be a little thing called Palm.
Your lists have too small a left margin…when you get to 10, the “1” digit is cut off (as is the “2” digit for 20 and up).