Apple App Store Reaches 50 Billion Downloads, One Customer Wins $10,000

The Apple App Store has now collected more than 50 billion downloads since its time of launch.

Apple on Thursday announced that its massive mobile devices platform has passed the major milestone and that Brandon Ashmore of Mentor Ohio downloaded the company’s 50 billionth app. Brandon will receive a $10,000 app store gift card for being the first person to reach the 50 billion downloads milestone.

Apple is also handing out $500 gift cards to the app stores 50 runners-up.

Apple launched the App Store in July 2008 and reached its first 10 billion downloads in January 2011. In 2012, the company announced that it had surpassed 25 billion downloads. The App Store continued to perform well, and, in January 2013, Apple announced its 40 billionth app store download.

The 50 billionth download was a free iPhone app called Say the Same Thing by Space Inch. The app was recently featured in a video or the band OK Go.

Apple based the 50 billion download mark on unique downloads, which means customers who uninstall and reinstall apps at a later time were not included in the tally. Updates were also not included in Apple’s final tally for App Store downloads.

Speaking about the company’s massive success, Apple Senior Vice President of Internet Services and Software Eddy Cue said:

“Apple would like to thank our incredible customers and developers for topping 50 billion apps downloaded. We’re absolutely floored to cross this milestone in less than five years.”

While Google Android devices have continually outsold Apple devices around the world, the Cupertino based tech giant has managed to win over more web savvy users. Apple consistently ranks as the number one data provider for mobile device users.

Here’s the app that won featured in the OK Go video: