The App Store is about to reach 10 billion iOS app downloads, Apple has announced. In the tradition of major iTunes milestones, the company is hosting a contest in which the 10 billionth app download will win someone an iTunes gift card worth $10,000 US. Despite the currency value, the contest is open to anyone 13 or older in a participating country with an App Store.
The App Store was first launched in the middle of July 2008, at which time it had only about 500 apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. It has since grown substantially, for instance reaching 500 million downloads in January 2009, and a billion in April of that year. In October 2010 the company revealed that downloads had surpassed 7 billion.
