Apple Tells us How the App Store changed everything ahead of its 10th anniversary

Developers from legendary Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto to the makers of games like Candy Crush and Temple Run, along with representatives of HBO, Major League Baseball and a host of other major companies and organizations have lined up to sing the praises of Apple’s App Store ahead of its tenth birthday on Tuesday, July 10.

Earlier this week, we dived into fresh data on what some of the most popular — and lucrative — apps of all time have been in what’s become a $42.5 billion marketplace. That figure being how much consumers spent on iOS apps last year.

As the App Store’s first decade officially comes to a close, meanwhile, Apple is now giving us a little of the more human side of the equation. How it’s changed lives and companies and exceeded everyone’s wildest expectations. And that’s after getting its start, it should be remembered, almost by accident — or, more specifically, not originating from some perceptive foresight from the stop.

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The App Store’s tenth anniversary, as Om Malik put it this morning, “is a timely reminder that enthusiasts — derisively labeled fanboys — help turn companies into cultural movements.”

Here’s a roundup of some of the contributions included in a retrospective about the app store — which gets 500 million visitors a week – that Apple has released ahead of the July 10 milestone:

HBO chairman and CEO Richard Plepler, for example, describes the announcement of its streaming service with Apple and the arrival of the cable channel’s HBO NOW app on the App Store as “one of the most significant moments in HBO’s storied history.

Shigeru Miyamoto, representative director and fellow, Nintendo: “We are very happy that we are able to deliver Super Mario Run, a new Super Mario experience that could be played with just one hand on iPhone, to hundreds of millions of consumers because of the App Store. The App Store allows us to share the joy of Nintendo games with many new audiences, and we will continue striving to provide unique and new game experiences to App Store customers.”

Riccardo Zacconi, CEO of King, creators of Candy Crush: “We launched Candy Crush Saga on the App Store over five years ago and it’s been hugely beneficial, allowing us to reach a brand new global audience. Our games have been played in all seven continents, including Antarctica! That shows just how influential and far-reaching the App Store has become.”

Francoise A. Marvel, MD, Corrie Health Team, Johns Hopkins, Cardiology: “Over the last 10 years, the App Store has contributed to the advancement of innovation in patient care by creating a platform for state-of-the-art medical apps like Corrie at Johns Hopkins. Our mobile health research relies on the App Store to deliver life-saving and life-changing apps to our patients.”

Dan Gray, head of studio, ustwo Games, creators of Monument Valley:“We built our entire team around the App Store, and we’ve been able to have millions of people around the world play our games who never would have considered themselves gamers. The App Store refresh has shown players the creators behind the apps they enjoy everyday. Humanizing apps can only be a good thing and showcasing how they’re made will inspire the next generation of creators from every corner of the world.”

Here’s to the next 10 years, and beyond.