Apple provided its annual update on the App Store ecosystem ahead of the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The tech giant reported that in 2025, the App Store facilitated over $1.4 trillion in developer billings and sales, up from $1.3 trillion last year. This figure represents all business conducted through apps on its platform, showcasing the financial opportunities the App Store creates for mobile developers beyond just in-app purchases.
Notably, 90% of the $1.4 trillion involved transactions where developers did not pay any commissions. Specifically, the 2025 total included $1.1 trillion in sales of physical goods and services, alongside $149 billion in billings and sales for digital goods. The latter is typically commissioned at rates of 15% to 30%, depending on the transaction type and business size, and is higher than the $131 billion reported last year. Regardless, Apple takes a slice of this multibillion-dollar market.
Additionally, Apple highlighted that in-app revenue from ads reached $151 billion in 2025, slightly up from $150 billion the previous year. The App Store also saw over 850 million average weekly users across 175 countries and regions in 2025. Notably, Apple pointed out that 40 of the top 100 apps in 2025 featured consumer-facing AI capabilities, which experienced stronger billing growth than others in the top 100. This may set the stage for WWDC announcements regarding Apple’s plans to introduce AI agents on the App Store.
Apple is also expected to announce its own AI initiatives at WWDC, including a revamped Siri and deeper AI integrations into its operating systems. The announcement noted significant growth in China, with App Store billings and sales doubling over the past six years, while figures in the U.S. and Europe tripled, primarily driven by physical goods and services like retail, grocery delivery, ride-hailing, and travel.
Blogger's Review: Apple's App Store ecosystem undoubtedly provides tremendous economic opportunities for developers, especially with the rapid growth in AI applications, suggesting more innovations and integrations in the future. However, balancing platform openness and fairness while guiding developers to create quality content will be a critical challenge for Apple moving forward.