IPhone Users Downloaded 60 Million Applications from Apple Store

Consumers have downloaded over 60 million applications for the Apple iPhone from the Apple online store. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said that most of the downloads were for free applications - but the company has still sold an average of US$1 million worth of software per day.

Based on current sales - and remembering that the iPhone is still only available in a few countries - the company is forecasting sales of half a billion dollars soon. "Who knows, maybe it will be a $1 billion marketplace at some point in time." Jobs said.

"I've never seen anything like this in my career for software," he added.

There have been a few problems with the Apple store though, with a few programs being removed without explanation, and ironically some problems where the iPhone sync facility tries to reinstall software that users have removed. While some applications were removed from the Apple store for being cranks - the removal of a mobile modem application has angered some members of the Apple fan base. 

Apple has also confirmed the existence of a "kill switch" which would enable them to remotely disable some applications even after they have been downloaded into the iPhone handset. The company defended the facility saying that it would only be used to disable malicious software applications.

On the web: Wall Street Journal

Posted to the site on 11th August 2008