Apple's App Store marks two billion downloads

There have been more than two billion downloads from Apple's App store, the company has claimed.

Apps, or applications, are programs that owners of the iPhone or the iPod Touch can download and install on their devices.

There are thousands of apps to choose from, including games, utilities and entertainment apps. Many are free, but others you have to pay for.

"The rate of App Store downloads continues to accelerate with users downloading a staggering two billion apps in just over a year, including more than half a billion apps this quarter alone," said Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive.

"The App Store has reinvented what you can do with a mobile handheld device and our users are clearly loving it," Jobs continued.

Analyst Mark Mulligan of Forrester pointed out that the App Store had been even more successful than iTunes in terms of downloads.

"It took Apple over three years to hit two billion song downloads. It took less than one-and-a-half years to hit two billion App downloads," said Mulligan.