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Apple by the numbers: 140 billion apps downloaded, half a million games in app store

CEO Tim Cook says the tech giant's App Store has forever changed the world of software and forever changed our lives.

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Terry Collins Staff Reporter, CNET News
Terry writes about social networking giants and legal issues in Silicon Valley for CNET News. He joined CNET News from the Associated Press, where he spent the six years covering major breaking news in the San Francisco Bay Area. Before the AP, Terry worked at the Star Tribune in Minneapolis and the Kansas City Star. Terry's a native of Chicago.
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Terry Collins

Apple CEO Tim Cook loves numbers.

During Apple's iPhone 7 event in San Francisco on Wednesday, Cook said more than 140 billion apps have been downloaded from the tech giant's app store. That's up 10 billion from the previous update in June.

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Watch this: Hands-on with the iPhone 7 Plus

"The App Store has forever changed the world of software and forever has changed all of our lives," said Cook, adding that the number of downloads is up more than 100 percent year-over-year.

"It is phenomenal, and the growth is literally off the charts," he said.

More from Apple's event

Cook said gaming is the most popular category in the app store, with over half a million games to choose from. He also introduced Shigeru Miyamoto, chief game designer at Nintendo, and they announced a new game for the app store, Super Mario Run.

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Nintendo's upcoming Super Mario Run video game will soon be available on Apple devices.

James Martin/CNET

The game will be available in time for the holidays.

"The combination of our incredible products and the success of the App Store have made the iPhone and the iPad the most popular gaming devices in the world," Cook said.

Additionally, Apple said its music service, called Apple Music, has 17 million subscribers and posted 30 million songs and 70 exclusive releases from artists including Taylor Swift, Drake, Frank Ocean and Blake Shelton.

"Apple Music has content that no one else has," Cook said. "Apple Music has become the premiere destination for new artists and existing artists to launch their exclusive music."

Check out all of today's Apple news.