App Store downloads overtake iTunes music downloads
Right after Apple's announcement that App Store downloads had passed 15 billion, Asymco ran some numbers and concluded that App Store downloads have surpassed iTunes music downloads. Asymco based its conclusion on Apple's announcement only one month earlier that iTunes song downloads had passed 15 billion. Since App Store downloads have grown at a far faster rate than music downloads over the life of both stores, Asymco's most likely correct that app downloads have passed song downloads.
According to Asymco's data, app downloads amount to at least 31 million per month, while around 12 million songs are downloaded each month. That's an explosive rate of growth for the App Store, especially since it took nearly seven years for music downloads to pass 15 billion while app downloads passed the same milestone in three years.
To get a visual idea of how quickly the App Store's taken off compared to music downloads, head to Asymco and check out the data graphs. But while you're there, try not to snicker at the tiny orange line representing iBooks downloads...
