App Store Added Nearly as Many New Apps in H1 2026 as in All of 2025
Sensor Tower said App Store releases doubled to about 560,000 in the first half of 2026 as downloads rose just 2%.
- New App Store submissions doubled to roughly 560,000 in the first half of 2026, according to Sensor Tower data, yet downloads rose by just 2% over the same period.
- The current submission surge is driven by 'vibecoding,' a trend allowing people without coding experience to build apps using AI tools like Replit and Bolt.
- Many new AI-generated apps are reportedly low-quality copycats, prompting Reddit moderators to implement a 'Vibe Coded' flair to help users filter content.
- Apple spokesperson Ajemian stated the company clears 90 percent of submissions within 48 hours, disputing developer complaints of significant approval delays.
- At the current pace, the platform is on track to add over one million new apps in 2026, though former App Store lead Phillip Shoemaker warned the flood increases malware risks.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Apple's App Store is on pace to add 1 million new apps this year, most are AI slop
Data from Sensor Tower suggests that app submissions to the App Store have risen steadily over the past few years, after bottoming out at around 420,000 in 2022. Last year, around 600,000 new apps were listed on the App Store, up 30% from 2024.Read Entire Article
More developers, fewer downloads, but Apple still wins
Vibecoded apps are flooding Apple’s App Store, and users are getting sick of them
App Store submissions have doubled this year as AI tools make development easier than ever, but downloads haven't kept pace, as users are growing tired of sorting through low-effort, AI-built apps.
Downloads are failing to keep up with the explosive growth of App Store releases: the number of new apps in the Apple store doubled in the first half of 2026, while the number of downloads grew by only 2%. These data are cited by the New York Times, according to Sensor Tower.
New iOS app releases in the United States surged nearly 55% in January, report says
The number of new iOS apps released in the United States grew by nearly 55% year over year in January, according to new data, highlighting a significant increase in software being published on Apple’s App Store. According to Business Insider, citing data from app intelligence firm Sensor Tower, new iOS app releases increased by almost 55% compared with the same month a year earlier. The growth followed an even larger 56% year-over-year increase …
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