Apple hits 10 billion App Store downloads

Apple says its online App Storereached the 10 billion downloads markover the weekend sincethe store debutedin July 2008.

A British mother, Gail Davis, took a $10,000 iTunes prize for becoming the App Store's 10-billionth customer, after her daughters downloaded the free game Paper Glider, developed by the company Neon Play in the U.K.

Apple announced the milestone on its website Saturday, with a message on its homepage saying: "Thank you. Ten billion times."

Apps short for application software are programs or games that can be purchased online and downloaded for use on smartphones.

"With more than 10 billion apps downloaded in just 2 years a staggering seven billion apps in the last year alone the App Store has surpassed our wildest dreams," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice-president of worldwide product marketing.

Apple has continued to expand the use of apps after introducing the iPhone in 2007, followed by its iPad tablet computer. More than 300,000 different programs are now available on the App Store, which can be used on the iPhone and the iPad.