15 years have passed since the launch of the Apple App Store. Let’s go back in time and relive your first downloads.
Source: Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash
It’s a real revolution in the digital world that we’ve witnessed with the Apple App Store. In 15 years, this platform has radically changed our relationship to technology, making smartphone use more intuitive, fun and efficient. Regardless of whether you are an Apple product lover or not, you will probably remember the first app you installed on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
And the good news is that Apple has thought of everything to help you relive those memories. In fact, the App Store has a “Purchased” section that not only makes it easy to re-download apps, but also serves as a history record of almost every app you’ve ever purchased or installed on your devices. Whether free or paid, all your applications will be listed there.
How do I find your downloaded apps list?
There’s nothing easier than finding your applications from yesterday. Open the App Store, tap your account icon in the top right, go to the Purchases section and scroll down. But be careful, there are some exceptions: applications that have been completely removed from the App Store will not appear there. Likewise, apps that haven’t been updated for 64-bit devices will still be there, but you won’t be able to reinstall them. They will appear grayed out.
Personally, the first application I downloaded on July 20, 2008 was iTunes Remote, which is still available today. It was an application that could be used to control iTunes remotely. Then came Facebook, Moo (a fun moo box), Shazam (now acquired by Apple), Soundhound (a Shazam competitor), and of course, lots of games. I also remember the Flashlight app, which came in very handy at a time when Apple’s UI didn’t allow using the LED flash simply as a flashlight. Thanks to a quick message on Threads, I was able to discover the community’s favorite applications: Last.fm, Evernote, Deezer… Pioneers in the world of applications, real nuggets.
And as we celebrate this anniversary, let’s be clear that Apple’s future will be full of challenges. In fact, according to the new European legislation, the Apple brand has to cope with the introduction of sideloading, the possibility of installing applications without using the App Store. The latter will come into effect from March 2024 and should mark a major turning point in the history of the App Store and the Apple ecosystem in general.
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