Apple's App Store had a record-breaking period this past holiday season. In the two weeks ending January 3, customers spent over $1.1 billion (USD) on apps and in-app purchases, setting back-to-back weekly records for traffic and purchases. January 1, 2016 marked the biggest day in App Store history with customers spending over $144 million (USD). It broke the previous single-day record set just a week earlier on Christmas Day.
Possibly an indicator of new iPhones and iPads sold over the holidays with new owners downloading apps (we'll know more on Apple's earnings call on January 26), this latest news reflects Apple's lead in developer communities and app ecosystems.
Worldwide, the App Store has brought in nearly $40 billion (USD) for developers since 2008, with over one-third generated in the last year alone.“We're grateful to all the developers who have created the most innovative and exciting apps in the world for our customers. We can't wait for what's to come in 2016," said Apple's Phil Schiller, senior ice president of Worldwide Marketing and recently appointed App Store Czar.