The store is a mix of ancient survivors and this year's newcomers. Here is the age map.
By Dor Bass· Based on 61,575 apps· Data updated 15 Jul 2026
Original research by App Store Hall of Records, computed from our index of 61,575 public App Store listings — every figure here is calculated, never estimated. See our editorial standards and glossary.
The App Store opened in 2008, and nearly two decades on it holds both apps first published before the iPhone had a front camera and apps that shipped this week. Sorting 61,575 apps by the year they first appeared draws a portrait of a store that is constantly renewing itself while a stubborn few originals refuse to leave.
2021median launch year
50.7%launched 2021 or later
12%date to 2008–2012
A store that skews young
The median app first launched around 2021, and 50.7% of apps first appeared in 2021 or later. The App Store is not a museum; it is a churning marketplace where new apps arrive constantly and older ones quietly disappear. Most of what you can download today is comparatively young.
2008–20127,366
2013–201610,477
2017–202012,543
2021–202310,718
2024 onward20,471
The originals still standing
And yet 12% of apps date back to 2008–2012, the store's first years. An app that has survived that long and is still available has outlasted countless competitors, OS overhauls, and business-model shifts. Longevity like that, especially paired with recent updates, is one of the rarer marks of quality in the store.
The bottom line
Release year alone does not tell you if an app is good, a 2010 app that stopped updating in 2015 is a fossil, while a 2024 launch might be excellent. Pair the launch date with the last-updated date: a long history and recent maintenance together signal an app that has both proven itself and kept up. That combination is worth seeking out.
Dig into the data
The boards and tools behind this study, updated automatically:
The typical app on the store first launched only a few years ago; the median release year is recent. The store constantly renews itself, so most of what you can download today is comparatively young.
What is the oldest kind of app still on the store?
A small share of apps date back to the store's first years (2008–2012). An app that old and still available has survived countless OS changes, which, if it is also still updated, is a strong sign of quality.
Does an app's release date tell you if it is good?
Only combined with its last-updated date. A long history plus recent maintenance signals a proven, cared-for app; a long history with no recent updates signals a fossil. Read the two dates together.
How this was made: this study is computed across 61,575 apps carrying the public App Store metadata it needs, drawn from our live index of 72,021 tracked apps, and is recomputed on a schedule. It is a large, representative sample of the store rather than every app in existence, and the figures shift over time as the store changes. No estimates or third-party numbers are used.
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Hall of Records