The App Store has seen a significant surge in new app releases, with the first half of 2026 nearly matching the total number of new apps added in all of 2025. According to Sensor Tower data cited by The New York Times, new app submissions doubled in early 2026 to approximately 560,000, compared to about 600,000 for the entirety of the previous year. This boom is attributed, in part, to the increasing accessibility of "vibecoding" tools.

Despite the influx of new applications, app downloads have seen a much slower growth rate. Downloads in the first half of 2026 increased by only 2% to 17.6 billion, a modest rise compared to the 3% growth seen in all of 2025, which reached 35.4 billion downloads. Developers like Marco Pérez and David Svensson are highlighted for their use of new tools to create apps more rapidly.

Apple spokesman Peter Ajemian addressed the increased submission volume, stating that Apple consistently reviews 90% of app submissions within 48 hours. He emphasized that all apps are held to the same high standards for quality, privacy, and security, regardless of their development method.