Since its launch in 2008, the Apple App Store has served as a primary platform for mobile app distribution and developer business. Starting with 500 apps at launch, the store now hosts over 1.8 million apps, with more than 99.99% of iOS apps created by third-party developers rather than Apple. Furthermore, 85% of all apps on the store pay no commission to Apple.

As of 2024, the total value of transactions generated through the global App Store ecosystem reached $1.3 trillion. Over 90% of this amount went directly to developers and businesses, with no commission taken by Apple. In South Korea, developer transactions and sales through the App Store totaled $27 billion in 2024.

Apple views privacy and security as fundamental to its App Store operations. Every app undergoes a review process to ensure it is free of malware, viruses, tools for unauthorized data collection, and harmful content. The App Review team evaluates an average of 150,000 app submissions weekly, and in 2024, it blocked over $2 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions and prevented the use of more than 4.7 million stolen credit cards.

In-app purchases are also highlighted as a key user protection feature. Apple’s in-app payment system prevents unfair billing and fraudulent activity while providing features such as subscription cancellation, refunds, purchase history tracking, and 'Ask to Buy.' The App Store commerce system supports 195 payment methods and 44 currencies. In South Korea, developers have the option to use third-party payment systems in addition to Apple’s in-app purchase system.

Regarding developer support, Apple provides an environment that reaches over 850 million weekly App Store visitors across 175 regions worldwide. The company offers more than 250,000 core APIs, as well as resources for app development training, testing, and upgrades. In South Korea, Apple operates the Apple Developer Academy at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), which has seen over 600 graduates since its opening in 2022. These graduates have developed and launched more than 90 apps on the App Store.

Changes following the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) are also cited as a case study. In compliance with the DMA, Apple introduced alternative business terms in the EU, allowing developers who adopt them to benefit from lower commission rates. According to a November 2025 report on the DMA by Analysis Group, more than 90% of developers maintained or increased their product prices despite commission rates falling by approximately 10 percentage points. Price reductions occurred in only about 9% of all prices within the EU App Store.

The report analyzed that these price cuts were consistent with historical price fluctuation patterns, making it difficult to conclude that they were directly linked to the lower commissions. Furthermore, the report found that most of the savings from reduced commissions accrued to developers rather than consumers, with over 86% of the saved profits going to developers outside the EU.

Regarding the report, an Apple spokesperson stated, "The European Digital Markets Act has not met expectations; it is lowering the level of privacy and security for consumers across Europe and resulting in a worse user experience." The spokesperson added, "This study provides further evidence that the DMA has failed to deliver benefits to consumers in the form of lower prices," noting that Apple is aware that these regulations create new barriers for innovators and startups while exposing consumers to new risks.

Apple also maintains that the impact of sideloading on privacy and security must be considered. Sideloading refers to installing apps from sources outside the App Store, a practice Apple believes increases security risks such as malware and viruses.