It has only been open for a year and a half now, but already Apple's Apps Store has reached 3 billion downloads, representing a mix of both free and paid programs for the iPod Touch and iPhones. While other companies have been quick to launch their own mobile app stores, most notably Google and RIM, neither has come close to offering the same selection of apps, let alone a similar rate of downloads. Google's Android Market, which only offers free apps, has a catalog of approximately 20,000 applications compared to Apple's more than 100,000. The BlackBerry Ap World offers both free and paid apps through PayPal and currently has a catalog of approximately 4,000.

“Three billion applications downloaded in less than 18 months—this is like nothing we’ve ever seen before," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO in a issued release. “The revolutionary App Store offers iPhone and iPod touch users an experience unlike anything else available on other mobile devices, and we see no signs of the competition catching up anytime soon.”