Yesteday, we reported on a boost in App Store downloads that some third-party developers had seen coinciding with the Christmas holiday. This annual boost in downloads and sales has been documented in previous years and has been attributed to the gifting of new iOS devices and iTunes gift cards for Christmas.
With the iTunes developer portal now back open, developers are finally seeing the sales numbers from Christmas weekend. TapTapTap has provided us with exclusive details of the sales of their Camera+ app [App Store], which re-launched just prior to the holiday and held the #6 ranking on Christmas Day.
Camera+ reached an impressive 78,995 downloads on Christmas Day alone, which represents $54,743 for the developer after Apple's 30% cut. While the sales graph seems to suggest that the sales have returned to pre-Christmas levels, the graph is somewhat misleading, as Camera+ had been ranked as high as #2 in Top Paid Apps before Christmas but today holds a rank of #13. Therefore, it seems that there has been a sustained boost in overall App Store sales since Christmas Day.
The download statistics showed improvement from last year's numbers, which revealed a similar data point of over 79,000 downloads on Christmas Day for the #3 ranked app, compared to Camera+ at #6 this year with a similar number of downloads. Historically, each rank position near the top of the charts represents a large difference in downloads Consequently, this year's #3 ranked app likely sold significantly more than 79,000 units.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
