Apple App Store (Not a CRE Business – Digital Platform Only)

The Apple App Store is Apple’s digital marketplace for apps and games on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. It gives users a single place to find, buy, and update software on their Apple devices, and it serves as the main channel through which Apple delivers third‑party apps and many of its own services.

Apple launched the App Store in July 2008 with about 500 apps available. That move turned the iPhone from a standalone device into a software platform and created a new way for developers to reach consumers. Over the years, the catalog has grown into the millions and now covers everything from entertainment and shopping to productivity, education, and health. Along the way, Apple has removed outdated titles and shifted the mix toward actively maintained, higher‑quality apps.

As of December 2025, the App Store is a global digital network rather than a physical storefront footprint. It supports more than 175 country and regional storefronts and 44 currencies, handling payments, tax, and fraud controls behind the scenes for developers at massive scale. This reach allows a developer in one market to sell to customers almost anywhere Apple devices are in use, and it helps keep Apple’s installed base engaged and spending in its ecosystem.

One notable milestone in the App Store’s evolution came with the rise of subscription services and in‑app purchases, which turned the marketplace into an engine for recurring revenue rather than just one‑time downloads. In roughly the last five years, Apple has also had to adapt the App Store to new rules and expectations, particularly in Europe. It has supported game streaming services that were once harder to distribute on mobile and has begun allowing alternative app distribution options in the EU to comply with the Digital Markets Act. These changes reflect a platform that is still evolving in how apps are discovered, installed, and paid for, even if the experience remains tightly integrated into Apple’s hardware and operating systems.

The App Store is curated rather than purely open. Apple reviews each app submission against published guidelines that focus on safety, performance, content, and compliance. Dedicated editorial teams highlight selected titles through the Today, Apps, and Games tabs, and Apple spotlights standout developers and products through the annual App Store Awards and ongoing developer initiatives like WWDC. This approach has helped the marketplace retain consumer trust and sustain developer interest, even as competition and regulation have increased.

For landlords, brokers, and developers, the App Store matters because it underpins the strength of the Apple ecosystem that drives traffic and sales in Apple Stores and authorized retailers across the globe. The more time and money users invest in apps and digital services, the more attached they become to their devices and to future upgrades. That connection supports Apple’s sizable physical retail program and its third‑party sales channels, which remain anchor draws in premier shopping centers, high‑street locations, and mixed‑use projects. In practical terms, the App Store’s continued growth helps reinforce Apple’s staying power as a top‑tier credit and long‑term traffic driver wherever its physical stores and partners are located.