Apple has revealed that developers on the App Store have earned $260 billion since the launching of its app marketplace in 2008.

At the start of 2021 Apple stated that developers had earned over $200 billion, suggesting that a further $60 billion was earned during the course of the year.

Correspondingly, Apple has stated that the past year saw a "new yearly record for App Store developer earnings". According to the tech giant, consumers spent more than ever between this Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, driving "double-digit" growth over the previous year which saw $1.8 billion in consumer spending.

Furthermore, in 2021 consumers continued to download more and more from the App Store. According to App Annie, consumers downloaded approximately 40 billion apps and games across the year.

Record highs

Apple also referenced the success of its games subscription service Apple Arcade, which saw its biggest expansion throughout 2021 and features over 220 games.

The past year saw success for both free-to-play titles, such as Among Us, Roblox, and Call of Duty Mobile, and premium titles, including Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and Bloons Tower Defense 6.

In-game events are also attributed to the increase in consumer spending, with Apple citing such events in Pokémon Go, Mario Kart Tour, and Clash Royale.

Last year, over 900 apps and games generated their first $1 million across the App Store and Google Play, with games publishers making up the majority of first-time earners. As developers continue to earn more, so does the firm facilitating the marketplace, with Apple recently reaching a $3 trillion market value at the start of the year.