Apple’s App Store revenue is growing, but games no longer dominate

Bank of America has published new analytics on App Store revenue: for the year, from June 2024 to June 2025, the platform’s global revenue grew by 12%. At the same time, the number of downloads increased by only 4%, which indicates an increase in spending on already familiar applications, rather than on new installations.

The key change is the structure of revenue. For the first time in a long hour, games have lost their dominant position: their share has dropped to 45%, losing to service applications. The top is no longer mobile games, but services such as Notion, Tinder, Calm and tools based on artificial intelligence.

Subscriptions to AI applications, fitness and meditation, VPN and dating services have become popular. More users are also choosing to unlock premium features through regular payments.

What about alternative stores?

Despite the launch of third-party platforms like AltStore and Epic Games Store in the EU, analysts have not recorded any significant impact on App Store revenues. New platforms remain niche, and users are mostly in no hurry to change their usual usage patterns.

For Apple, this is a positive signal: the ecosystem remains stable, and revenue is growing even against the background of slow competition.

Apple has officially introduced a new gaming hub app that combines Apple Arcade, personalized recommendations from the App Store, the user’s game library and Game Center social features.

The new app is called Apple Games and will be a universal platform for accessing all of the user’s games on iPhone, iPad and Mac.

One of the key innovations is the Game Center Overlay interface for iPad and Mac – it appears on top of the game and allows you to view your friends list and settings without interrupting the gameplay.

Apple Games will also feature social features, including a Play Together mode that will allow you to launch cooperative games and other types of joint pastime.

In addition, the app will offer leaderboards and challenges, which will add an element of competition and allow you to follow the successes of friends and rivals.

Apple Games is scheduled to be released in fall 2025, along with the releases of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26 Tahoe.