App Store lively amid surge in app launches...AI effect

Global app launches surged in early 2026, with iOS App Store growth especially strong, according to Appfigures data.

Mobile games remain the biggest category, but productivity apps broke into the top ranks for the first time.

AI coding tools such as Claude Code and Replit appear to be lowering the barrier for non-experts to build apps.

Apple is blocking more fraudulent and policy-violating apps, but the faster flow of submissions is increasing review pressure.