Say what you will about Apple and its ‘walled garden’ – because even if it’s true, it must be a really damn pretty garden. We seem to be liking it just fine.
According to Asymco, a Helsinki-based industry analysis advisory firm, both total song and app downloads are on the rise. But the latter especially. Like… really especially. We’re talking more than twice as fast.
While it took the iTunes store 5 years to push 6.3 billion songs, the App Store has done it in half the time and, assuming Asymco is on the money and the trend continues, it’ll have the former beat before the year’s end. That’s some kind of fast.
How fast? This fast: iOS users are downloading 17.6 million apps a day (as opposed to a paltry 7.5 million songs). Guys, slow down. It’s the internet. Mr. Space will still be there later. Chill. Just chill, alright?
Chill.
I’ve certainly downloaded far more apps for my iPhone than I’ve downloaded songs from iTunes, but for some very good reasons that don’t speak to my total app or song ownership in any way.
I’ve downloaded 100+ free apps.
I’ve downloaded about 20 paid apps.
All iPhone apps I’ve downloaded have been from iTunes.
I’ve downloaded 20,000+ free songs.
Ive downloaded about 40 paid songs. (Mostly from gift certificates and promotions.)
Of those paid song downloads, none of them were from iTunes.