Leave iPhones, apps alone earned Apple Rs 44,447 crore in a year in India

In a striking testament to the power of India's booming digital economy, Apple's App Store ecosystem generated a staggering Rs 44,447 crores (USD 5.31 billion) in developer billings and sales in 2024 alone.

A study, published by IIM Ahmedabad’s Professor Viswanath Pingali, shines a spotlight on how Apple has quietly expanded its footprint in India beyond its traditional hardware business.

App Store: A Silent Revenue Engine

While Apple’s physical product sales, including iPhones, MacBooks, and AirPods, often steal headlines, the App Store's contribution to the tech giant's India business is now impossible to ignore.

In 2024, developer billings and sales through the iOS app ecosystem crossed USD 5.3 billion, opening a lucrative new frontier for Apple.

Unlike traditional app store dynamics, where the platform retains a substantial commission, the study also revealed that over 94% of the generated revenue went directly to developers.

This model has strengthened developer trust while still making India an immensely profitable market for Apple through scale and ecosystem growth.

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Local Developers, Global Impact

Indian developers have not only captured the local market but have significantly scaled their global influence.

Roughly 80% of their App Store earnings now originate from users outside India, showcasing India's evolution from a consumer market to a major developer hub. In 2024 alone, apps created by Indian developers were downloaded 755 million times globally, double the figure from five years ago.

Further, downloads of locally developed apps accounted for 38% of all downloads by Indian users, a 27% rise compared to five years ago.

Small developers in particular witnessed robust growth, with their earnings surging by 74% between 2021 and 2024.

Beyond the App Store: A Broader Business Boom

The App Store success forms just one pillar of Apple's broader India engagement, which touched nearly Rs 2.3 lakh crores (USD 27 billion) in 2024. This figure includes around USD 8 billion from the sale of hardware products in the local market, USD 14 billion worth of exports (mainly to the United States), and the USD 5.3 billion generated through app store transactions.

Apple CEO Tim Cook termed the App Store “an economic miracle for developers in India,” underlining Apple’s commitment to nurturing the country's tech and app development ecosystem.

With the App Store ecosystem alone generating Rs 44,447 crores and propelling Indian developers onto the global stage, India's place in the global app economy has risen manyfolds, making it impossible to miss out on for brands amid an ongoing US trade war.