iPhone App Store continues to exceed iTunes song sales growth

Mobile software sales for the iPhone and iPod touch continue to grow faster than even iTunes' groundbreaking song sales growth, building a critical mass to attract both new iPhone buyers and additional Cocoa Touch software development for Apple's mobile platform.

Steve Jobs uncharacteristically joined the Apple financial results conference call to answer questions and present some details about the growth Apple was seeing in various markets, but noted that in regard to iPhone software, "we've never seen anything like this in our careers."

Jobs said Apple would sell the 200 millionth app in the iPhone App Store by tomorrow, double the number of apps Apple distributed over the previous two months since the store opened.

In July, Apple announced that 10 million apps had been sold. By August, the company had shipped 50 million, and last month it noted a total of 100 million. Less than a month later, the 200 million milestone indicates that new growth is increasing rapidly along with new sales.

Apple also doubled its installed base of iPhones over the last quarter, which should help expand the demand for iPhone apps in the future. Even without any additional growth in mobile software sales, Apple is on track to sell a billion apps by next year.

For comparison, the iTunes Music Store opened a year and a half after the iPod first went on sale, the same period of time as between the Apps Store opening and the iPhone’s original sale date. It took Apple two months to sell 25 million songs, and two years to sell a billion. Mobile software sales appear set to continue the doubled pace of growth Apple experienced in the music business.

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Steve Jobs on Apple's cash, NetBooks, Apple TV, and Cheap PCs

iPhone App Store continues to exceed iTunes song sales growth