- media@moneyinfocus.news
Apple’s App Store ecosystem facilitated more than $1.4 trillion in developer billings and sales worldwide in 2025, according to a new study conducted by Analysis Group, highlighting continued growth across digital services, commerce, advertising, and emerging artificial intelligence applications.
The study found that more than 90% of the billings and sales generated through the App Store ecosystem did not result in developers paying commissions to Apple. Since 2019, the size of the ecosystem has nearly tripled, reflecting expanding consumer use of mobile applications across multiple sectors.
According to the report, physical goods and services accounted for the largest share of economic activity, generating approximately $1.1 trillion in sales. Categories including grocery delivery, food services, retail, and travel contributed significantly to overall growth.
Digital goods and services generated $149 billion in developer billings and sales, supported by demand for gaming, enterprise software, and video streaming applications. In-app advertising revenue reached $151 billion during the year.
Artificial intelligence emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments within the App Store ecosystem.
According to the Analysis Group study, more than 40 of the top 100 apps on the App Store in 2025 incorporated consumer-facing AI features. These applications recorded billing growth rates approximately four times higher than other top-performing apps.
AI-powered capabilities are increasingly being integrated into health and fitness platforms, productivity software, photo and video editing applications, and other consumer services.
Apple said developers are also leveraging technologies such as the Foundation Models framework and Apple Intelligence to build AI-driven features that operate on-device, supporting privacy-focused applications without requiring continuous cloud connectivity.
The company also highlighted the growing use of AI-assisted development tools, including new coding capabilities within Xcode, designed to help developers streamline workflows and accelerate application development.
The study found that App Store billings and sales have more than doubled in China and more than tripled in both the United States and Europe over the past six years.
The App Store recorded an average of more than 850 million weekly users across 175 countries and regions in 2025, providing developers access to a global audience.
While retail remained the largest category across all regions, consumer spending patterns varied by market. Travel ranked as the second-largest category in several major markets, including the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil. In South Korea, food delivery and pickup services ranked second, while grocery and food delivery emerged among the leading categories in China.
Apple said it continues to invest in tools, infrastructure, educational programs, and developer support services designed to help software creators build and scale businesses globally.
The company reported that its developer centers hosted thousands of developers throughout 2025 in markets including the United States, China, India, and Singapore. Apple also announced plans to open a new Developer Center in Berlin later this year.
In addition, Apple continues to operate nearly 20 Developer Academies worldwide, offering training programs focused on coding, artificial intelligence, design, and entrepreneurship.
The findings underscore the growing economic significance of mobile application ecosystems as AI technologies become increasingly integrated into consumer and enterprise software worldwide.
