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"Apple didn't invent smartphones, mobile apps or even a place to buy them. Even so, the introduction of the App Store on July 10, 2008, perfectly timed to answer a clarion call of mobile-app desire, effectively changed the software business and meaning of applications forever.\nFive years, a half million apps, billions of downloads and millions of dollars in developers and Apple\u2019s pockets, and it\u2019s clear Apple's little application warehouse started a revolution. Back then, I did believe Apple\u2019s experiment in mobile application delivery could succeed. Sure, it arrived nearly a full year after the iPhone and there were only 500 apps at start. Plus, far too many of them were inconsequential, and I did worry that many of the apps, which seemed too expensive for, say, their single purpose, would not survive in the face of what was then a rather grim-looking economy.\nSEE ALSO: Top 25 Free iPhone Apps of All Time\n\nAgainst the Wind\nThat is something to reflect on: The App Store launched the summer before the U.S. (and to some extent global) economic meltdown. It had to thrive in the face of it. And it did. Part of this was through simple engineering.\nApple charged just $100 a year for newbie mobile developers to get on board (far cheaper, my development expert Christina Warren tells me, than the traditional $2,000 a year developers paid to build software for the Mac OS). To a certain extent, this was Apple\u2019s version of a dollar and a dream. All a fledgling developer needed was a bit of scratch \u2014 who can\u2019t scrounge up one hundred bucks when they have to? \u2014 and an interesting or solid mobile app idea.\nApple made the development kit simple enough for average developers to use and, at least in the early days, left the curation gates fairly open so even the basic fart app could make it through.\nWhile there\u2019s no indication that Apple offered any guidance on how to price apps, one thing was clear: Despite the price App Store apps started at, most lowered their prices over time and many quickly found that $0.99 or $1.99 was a near-perfect price point. Free was, and is, of course, better \u2014 and as Apple\u2019s own App Store Milestones page points out, the most popular apps at the time \u2014 Facebook and Shazam \u2014 were free.\nNonetheless, $1 apps turned software into something it had never been before: an impulse buy (this would explain why I have 75 apps on my iPhone). Despite the hard times, most everyone could afford a buck. \nWhat Is Software?\nApple also changed the way we think about software. Apps, unlike desktop applications, could typically do very few things \u2014 but they did them extremely well. It also democratized the environment by marrying ratings and reviews to the apps. Again, not a new innovation; Amazon did it first.\nApple borrowed another concept from Amazon: frictionless buying. Amazon has become the retail sales giant it is by making the purchasing process for everything \u2014 from books to clothes to jewelry to music and movies \u2014 as easy as taking a walk. The App Store inherited its expertly crafted commerce ecosystem from iTunes. Members of iTunes were already members of the App Store: You had one ID, one credit card, one billing system, instant satisfaction. It made buying apps for your iPhone and iPod (and eventually iPad) effortless. Buying software on other platforms was never that easy.\nApple also built its App Store on trust. Sure, Apple wanted control, which  could be frustrating, especially when Apple eventually started barring certain apps, but you always know what you're getting with an App Store app (camouflaged tethering apps notwithstanding). Competitors like Google, which launched its own app store, the Android Market, four months later, basically threw open its SDK to the world and then let anything into its store.\nA couple of years ago, I asked Infinity Blade developers Chair why they didn\u2019t develop their best-selling game for Android. They told me that piracy was a significant issue and they didn\u2019t want to build antipiracy protection into the app. They were steering clear until Google solved the issue.\nThese days, major vendors are far more inclined to develop Android apps \u2014 how could they not with Android phones now outselling iPhones?  Plus, Apple\u2019s vice-like control over Apple developer practices and the apps that appear in the App Store has not always gone so smoothly. They once famously kicked out Google Voice and removed YouTube from the built-in set of iPhone apps, and no one will ever forget when Apple replaced Google Maps with its own lackluster navigation app.\nFortunately, the App Store soon had a new version of YouTube to download and eventually an updated Google Maps.\nChange for the Better\nThe App Store also benefited from change. It became better organized and was soon filled with richer, more powerful apps. Products that help you get things done like Evernote, SketchBook Pro (a personal favorite) and, much more recently, Microsoft Office Mobile. Though the App Store launched without a native Twitter client (we had to settle for Twitterrific), virtually every major social platform has migrated to mobile, making it impossible to leave our phones behind if we want to stay in touch.\nApple has also worked hard to keep app developers engaged, first by constantly raising the operating system and hardware ante so developers always had some new feature to program or tap into and second by sweetening the revenue pie. Apple has always taken 30% of all app developer revenue, but it also introduced ways for developers to earn money even after consumers downloaded the app -\u2013 even a free app. In-app purchases have been a win-win for developers and consumers who fall in love with apps like Temple Run 2, but want to extend the fun in the most frictionless way possible.\nIt may be too easy for people to buy upgrade tokens, power-ups and features through these apps. Apple certainly doesn\u2019t warn you about overspending, but so far no one is complaining \u2013- at least not yet.\nIn fact, I find few people complaining about anything relating to Apple\u2019s kindergartener-aged App Store. They love their phones and are lost without access to their apps, which probably eat up battery power most quickly. There's simply no denying the changes the App Store has wrought. \nHow many of you, for example, now visit computer stores to buy packaged software? Do you still play games on a Nintendo DS? When we talk about applications, it's in the mobile space. When most of us think about games, we think of mobile versions. \nApple, the iPhone and especially the App Store helped to make mobile the center of our universe. It helped shift the desktop and laptop to an adjunct space, a closet that we visit less frequently than we used to.\nHappy Birthday, App Store. It\u2019s a good bet we\u2019ll be all gathering around to talk about \u2014 and toast \u2014 your tenth birthday.\nMashable composite, image courtesy of Flickr, Paul Mayne; logo courtesy of Apple\nBONUS: 25 Best Free iPhone Apps\n\n\n\nTop 25 Free iPhone Apps of All Time\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1. Facebook\n\nFacebook\u2019s app gives you full access to the social network, where you can upload photos and status messages, check out your News Feed and friends' profiles, and send messages to people either via instant message or email.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. Pandora Radio\n\nPandora\u2019s mobile app makes it easy to rock out, no matter where you are. Create radio stations and listen to ad-supported tunes for free for 40 hours a month. If you reach the 40-hour cap, continue listening for the remainder of the month for $0.99.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. Instagram\n\nInstagram improves the look of your mobile photos. Give your image a vintage or professional look with the app's built-in filters.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4. YouTube\n\nWhere can you catch the latest cat video, plus a message from the president in the same place? YouTube\u2019s app makes it easy to stream the videos you love directly to your mobile phone.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. Skype\n\nKeeping in touch has never been so easy. With Skype, contact with friends and family around the world. The app supports voice and video calls, as well as texting, in many cases for free.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. Words With Friends Free\n\nWords With Friends Free is the ad-supported version of the Scrabble-like game by Zynga. In the game you can compete against your Facebook friends, others using the service and strangers.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n7. The Weather Channel\n\nThe Weather Channel\u2019s app gives you accurate, up-to-the-minute weather conditions for your area and beyond, as well as a forecast for the future.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n8. Twitter\n\nTwitter\u2019s mobile app ports much of the functionality of the web network to mobile. From the app you can explore tweets, see what\u2019s trending and post your own tweets to add to the conversation. The app also allows you to tweet photos, and has a built-in photo editor for making those pictures look their best.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. Temple Run\n\nTemple Run put infinite-runner games on the map. In the game, run until you can\u2019t run any longer while dodging obstacles. Since the launch of this original game, the studio has put out a sequel, Temple Run 2, as well as Brave and Oz-themed versions, in partnership with Disney.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. Google Search\n\nNeed to look something up? Google Search is the ultimate app for performing web searches on your iPhone.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n11. Netflix\n\nWhether you want to watch a quick episode of your favorite television show, or settle in and watch a feature-length film, Netflix\u2019s app makes it easy to stream TV shows and movies to the palm of your hand. Use of the app requires a subscription to Netflix\u2019s streaming service.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n12. Shazam for iPhone\n\nWhat\u2019s that song? Shazam\u2019s app identifies the music playing around you.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n13. Angry Birds Free\n\nWho doesn\u2019t love Angry Birds? This free version of the high-flying game is  ad-supported, allowing you to play for free.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n14. Draw Something Free\n\nPictionary goes mobile with Draw Something. Draw a picture, then send it to your friend so he or she can guess what you drew. Originally launched by OMGPOP, the game was later acquired by Zynga.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n15. Flashlight\n\nHaving trouble finding your way around? Flashlight turns your phone into a mobile light, brightening up the area around you so you can locate items in the dark.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n16. Facebook Messenger\n\nFacebook Messenger is the messaging portion of Facebook, broken off into its own standalone application. The app also contains Chat Heads, a unique way of conversing with your friends -- their faces appear in small circles on the screen.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n17. Google Earth\n\nWant to take a quick trip to Paris? How about to the house where you grew up? Google Earth lets you see the world through Google\u2019s cameras, giving you a bird\u2019s-eye view of the earth as a whole, and a close-up view of any location you choose \u2013 all in the palm of your hand.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n18. Fruit Ninja Free\n\nWith Fruit Ninja, slice and dice fruits as they fly across the screen. The more fruit you're able to chop while avoiding obstacles, the higher your score.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n19. iHeartRadio\n\nMiss your radio station from back home? iHeartRadio lets you tune in to listen to Clear Channel radio stations around the country, all from your mobile phone.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n20. Movies by Flixster, With Rotten Tomatoes\n\nWant to know whether that latest movie is a must-see? Flixter\u2019s app with Rotten Tomatoes makes it easy to read reviews, while you\u2019re on your way to the theater.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n21. Bump\n\nWant to transfer a photo from your phone to a friend? How about some cash? Bump lets you tap two phones to transfer data. Or use the app along with your computer, for transferring images from your phone to PC.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n22. eBay\n\nWhether you\u2019re buying or selling, eBay\u2019s mobile app has the tools to help you get things done.  The app makes it easy to list items for sale, as well as bid on items you might want to own.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n23. PAC-MAN Lite\n\nPac-Man comes to the iPhone in this free version of the popular arcade game.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n24. Groupon\n\nGroupon\u2019s mobile app lets you purchase deals while you\u2019re out and about. You can score bargains \u2013 often 50% off or more -- on restaurants and attractions while you\u2019re at them, no planning required.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n25. Google Maps\n\nAlthough Apple removed Google Maps from iOS, the mobile app made a splash when it returned to the App Store. Unlike Apple\u2019s built-in Maps, Google Maps offers public transit information. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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