In a move that many developers might say is long overdue, Apple today is finally bringing its App Store to the web. This means that users outside of the iOS ecosystem can take a look at the entirety of the App Store from the comfort of their laptop or desktop. It also means that users completely outside of Apple’s ecosystem can keep up with the options available on the App Store from any browser or any OS.
The interface for Apple’s new website is crisp and clean. The left-hand portion of the page is a sidebar that breaks down apps by categories while also housing separate sections for games and Apple Arcade. When you click on a specific app title, you can view screenshots of the app, read user reviews, and even watch demo videos of the app in action if the developer provides them. Naturally, there’s no download option for specific apps, but there is a “Share” button that visitors can use to send titles of interest to friends via email or text.
The App Store is a huge money maker for Apple
Apple rolling out the App Store for the web makes sense to the extent that the App Store remains an integral part of Apple’s bottom line. The more eyeballs it can get on App Store apps, the better. Indeed, there have been times where someone tells me about an app worth checking out, or I might read about an amazing new iOS app, only to find myself stuck on my desktop and without the motivation to grab my iPhone and find the app there. Apple’s new website, therefore, provides a great way for users to engage with apps for review, and perhaps purchase, later on.
Speaking to how lucrative the App Store is for Apple, the company earlier this year said that in 2024 alone, the App Store was responsible for more than “$406 billion in developer billings and sales.” What’s more, Apple boasts that the App Store ecosystem has almost tripled in size in just five years. In conjunction with this, Apple writes that small developers have seen their earnings from the App Store jump by nearly 77% since 2021.
As a final point, it’s worth noting that the App Store makes up a core component of Apple’s Services division. During the recent September quarter, Apple’s services business generated $28.75 billion for Apple’s bottom line, a figure that’s expected to grow even more in the coming year.
