A new analysis issued by Appfigures, a company specializing in market data, revealed a significant jump in the number of applications offered globally during the first quarter of 2026, as the increase reached 60% compared to the same period of the previous year, in both the “Apple” and “Google Play” application stores.
According to the figures released, the iOS App Store alone witnessed an increase of 80%. As of April 2026, the total number of new applications increased by 104% in both stores compared to the same period last year, while the increase reached 89% on iOS only.
This rise comes in light of fears that the spread of chatbots and agents powered by artificial intelligence will cause users to refrain from using applications, an opinion held by some workers in this sector, such as Karl Pei, CEO of Nothing, which is working to develop a smartphone that suits the era of artificial intelligence.
At the same time, OpenAI is developing an artificial intelligence device in cooperation with the well-known Apple designer, Jony Ive.
Appfigures data shows that some categories of applications are witnessing the launch of new versions at a faster pace than others, as mobile games still top the list of new applications globally.
“Productivity” apps also joined the top five list this year, while the “Utilities” category jumped to second place, and “Lifestyle” apps advanced from fifth place last year to third place, while “Health and Fitness” apps completed the top five list.
Despite this remarkable growth, Apple experts such as John Gruber believe that the App Store needs a specialized “monitoring team” to pursue fraudulent or fake applications that are very popular or achieve high profits.
