Apple has asserted its leadership in the mobile applications market, revealing 20bn apps were downloaded on its iPhone, iPad and iPods in 2012.
Firing a shot across the bows of its rivals as they unveiled new tablets and smart televisions at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Apple said it set a record with 2bn app downloads in December, taking its total to 40bn since the launch of the App Store in 2008.
Apple said it had 500m active accounts for the App Store and iTunes, up from 435m in September and 400m in June. The figure emphasises a key advantage the iPhone maker holds over its rivals in the mobile market, helping to keep customers loyal to its iOS platform.