15 billion apps have been downloaded from Apple's App Store

NOT VERY GENERICALLY NAMED e-retail operation, the Apple App Store has stood smiling at the tills as 15 billion of its wares were downloaded by users.

The App Store, which offers such things as wallpapers, games, productivity applications and newspapers, has sold the items over the last three years to around two hundred million of its customers, at least those of its mobile customers that use its Iphone, Ipad, and Ipod touch.

"In just three years, the revolutionary App Store has grown to become the most exciting and successful software marketplace the world has ever seen," said Philip Schiller, Apple's SVP of worldwide product marketing.

"Thank you to all of our amazing developers who have filled it with over 425,000 of the coolest apps and to our over 200 million iOS users for surpassing 15 billion downloads."

Apple does not always have the best relationship with its developers and has often been accused in being unfair and unclear in its app acceptance policies - including a rather odd decision about the Opera browser.

Recently it kicked Sony off the App Store because the Japanese firm insisted on selling its own content without paying 30 per cent tribute. Apple did say, however, that it had paid Sony some $2.5bn in revenues for its work. µ