Apple Hits 1 Billion App Store Downloads!

Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) was expected to serve up their 1 Billionth (with a capital B) App Store download today, and lo and behold, Apple has announced that they’ve officially seen 1 billion iPhone/iPod Touch applications downloaded from their iTunes App Store! In less than a full year of existence, Apple and the iPhone have managed to make mobile applications as commonplace as an iTunes music purchase, and the App Store’s popularity continues to grow.

The total tally of iPhone applications in the iPhone AppStore was estimated to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 25,000 in March 2009. And, with thousands more iPhone applications hitting the AppStore on a monthly basis, Apple’s success with their integrated mobile application delivery model will likely continue. No wonder everyone and their grandmother are trying to launch mobile application stores of their own.

For the record, it took Apple six whole months to reach the 500-million milestone. From that point on, Apple needed just three additional months to hit the landmark 1 Billion download goal!

One estimate has 75% of the 1 billion downloaded apps being of the free-of-charge variety. That means just 1 of every 4 downloads put money in an iPhone developer’s (and Apple’s) pocket. But, that still accounts for 250 million payments going through the App Store!

Curious as to what the all-time most downloaded free and premium apps are? Here you go: (after the break)

All-Time most downloaded FREE apps:

1. Facebook
2. Google Earth
3. Pandora Radio
4. Tap Tap Revenge
5. Shazam
6. PAC-MAN Lite
7. Backgrounds
8. Touch Hockey FS5
9. Labyrinth Lite
10. Flashlight
11. Urbanspoon
12. Movies
13. iBowl
14. Lightsaber Unleashed
15. Sol Free Solitaire
16. MySpace Mobile
17. Virtual Zippo Lighter
18. The Weather Channel
19. Bubble Wrap
20. Remote

All-Time most downlaoded Premium apps:

1. Crash Bandicoot: Nitro-Kart
2. Koi Pond
3. Enigmo
4. Bejeweled 2
5. iBeer
6. Moto Chaser
7. PocketGuitar
8. Flick Fishing
9. Tetris
10. Texas Hold’em
11. Super Monkey Ball
12. Pocket God
13. Cro-Mag Rally
14. Ocarina
15. FieldRunners
16. iFart Mobile
17. Touchgrind
18. iHunt
19. iShoot
20. Monopoly