Apple's App Store Approaching 1 Billion Downloads

As of today, nearly one billion iPhone/iPod Touch apps have been downloaded around the globe.  This is an impressive feat for Apple who only opened the App Store approximately 9 months ago.  It took Apple from November 2004 to February 2006 to reach 1 billion legally downloaded songs from the iTunes Music Store.  What’s the difference here?  Why has the App Store out performed the Music Store by leaps and bounds?

I don’t believe it has to do with the fact there are free apps available – though it may have helped some, but, most apps in the App Store are paid.  Granted most are 99c apps, but so are the songs in the music store.  Is it because people truly feel they can download music illegally?  Maybe.  Then again, people also pirate applications.  However, spending 99c – $5 on an application is a lot easier to swallow than $25 or more.  Or maybe it’s because the apps aren’t as available on torrent sites and P2P networks so people are forced into purchasing them if they truly want the app.

I think it’s most likely a mixture of everything – free apps, inexpensive apps, and the number of iPhone’s and iPod Touch’s in the marketplace. I also believe that Apple (yet again) was able to create the extreme hype that lead the developers and Apple customers to buy (literally) into the madness. However, with that said, It would be extremely hard to pinpoint any one thing based on the evidence I have seen thus far. It would definitely make for an interesting study though. If anyone knows of a study like this or wants to perform one, shoot me an email.

Nonetheless, in order to celebrate Apple is doing a giveaway once they reach 1 billion app downloads. What exactly are they giving away? Well, they are going to giveaway some pretty awesome stuff.

Below is a break down of the products being given away (completely for free):

One (1) winner will receive one (1) 17” MacBook Pro; one (1) iPod Touch 32GB; one (1) $10,000 iTunes Gift Certificate; and an Apple Time Capsule. Total Retail Value of all prizes is $13,746.

How do you enter to win?  Apple has made it extremely simple to enter – plus you are allowed to enter 25 times per day.  In order to enter, you must either, download an app which will automatically get you the chance to win or just go to the following link and fill out the form.

I’ve entered, have you?