After years of stagnant growth in new applications, Vibe Coding tools are likely the primary driver behind this significant surge.
Data from research firm Sensor Tower indicates that for most of the past decade, the number of new applications added annually to the Apple App Store consistently declined, plummeting 48% between 2016 and 2024. This trend came to an abrupt halt last year. According to Sensor Tower statistics, 2025 witnessed explosive growth in the number of new applications globally on the Apple App Store, soaring 30% year-over-year to approach 600,000. Furthermore, the growth momentum is accelerating: in the first quarter of 2026, global new applications reached 235,800, a dramatic 84% increase compared to the same period last year. The main catalyst for this explosion in applications is likely the rapidly emerging category of Vibe Coding tools—powerful AI-assisted programming applications. The most prominent among these include:
Claude Code from Anthropic: Began limited testing in February last year, with full availability in May. OpenAI's AI programming tool Codex: Started limited testing in May last year, followed by full release in October.
These AI programming tools enable individuals without programming expertise to generate functional applications using text prompts, while also allowing developers with a coding background to produce code volumes far exceeding what is possible through manual writing. Abraham Yusuf, a Senior Insights Analyst at Sensor Tower, stated: "The explosive growth in new applications over the past year coincides precisely with the widespread availability of these intelligent programming tools, which have removed many of the previous barriers to application development." A spokesperson for Apple commented that this wave of new application growth confirms the continued appeal of the App Store and the practical value of Apple's robust developer tools. Although it is difficult to precisely quantify how many new applications were developed using AI, the rapid adoption rate suggests the vast majority likely relied on AI tools. Yusuf noted that among the new applications added in the past year, productivity and utility apps constituted the largest category, with photo, video, and weather applications also being numerous.
Apple Moves to Restrict Native Vibe Coding Applications According to a previous report by *The Information*, Apple is attempting to curb the proliferation of a specific type of new application: those that allow users to perform native Vibe Coding directly on iOS devices. Over the past several months, Apple has prevented developers like Replit from updating their Vibe Coding applications and has even removed a similar app named Anything from the App Store. Apple clarified that it is not specifically targeting Vibe Coding apps, but rather enforcing existing rules: applications are prohibited from fundamentally altering their core functionality through code modifications without approval from the review team. Due to the surge in application numbers, the workload for Apple's review team has increased significantly, and developers have widely complained about longer review times. Last month, Elon Musk posted on his social platform X, stating, "iOS app review delays are insane." An Apple spokesperson denied that review times have lengthened, stating that the review team processes 90% of submission requests within 48 hours. Over the past 12 weeks, the team has handled over 200,000 app submissions weekly, with an average review time of 1.5 days. The spokesperson also mentioned that while all applications still undergo human review, Apple is increasingly utilizing AI tools to assist in the process. However, Apple's restrictions have not stopped the influx of applications developed *using* Vibe Coding tools, as these tools can also be used on computers. For example, despite facing restrictions from Apple, a Replit spokesperson stated that its users have still developed and published nearly 5,000 applications on the Apple App Store in recent months, including apps like the speed-reading news application FlashNews and the cleaning planning app Spark Cleaning. Druv Amin, CEO of Anything, also said that since its launch last year, developers have submitted thousands of applications to the App Store through its platform.
Surge in Quantity, but Quality Varies Considering the sustained downturn in recent years, this recovery in new applications is particularly notable. Yusuf indicated that before the advent of Vibe Coding tools, the rising cost of developing high-quality applications, combined with intense competition from major players like Meta and ByteDance, led many developers to abandon the market. However, the surge in the number of new applications does not equate to a corresponding improvement in quality. Developers and users are increasingly complaining that the App Store is being flooded with a large number of low-quality applications, and the proliferation of spam apps makes it harder for users to discover high-quality ones. Matthew Cassinelli, a consultant focused on helping developers integrate with Apple's AI tools, commented: "There are many more apps now, but people aren't spending more time using them each day. Most individuals consistently use only a handful of applications."
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