Apple apps store takes in nearly $669m in 1st week of the year

SINGAPORE - Apple has announced that customers spent nearly US$500 million (S$669 million) on iOS apps and in-app purchases in the first week of this month, setting a new record for billings from its App Store.

In a statement today (Jan 9), it said that New Year's Day (Jan 1) "marked the single biggest day ever in App Store sales history".

According to Apple, 2014 was a record-breaking year for the App Store - which sells apps for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch - with billings increasing 50 per cent and apps generating over US$10 billion in revenue for developers.

The company also said that app developers have earned over US$25 billion so far from iOS apps, since the App Store opened in 2008.

Presumably to combat criticisms that it relies heavily on foreign labour to manufacture its products, Apple also mentioned in the statement that the iOS ecosystem has helped to create 627,000 jobs in the United States. It also drew attention to a section on its website talking about job creation, pointing out that the company has created or supports 1,027,000 US jobs.

sinsh@sph.com.sg