App Store hits 40 billion downloads, Apple releases stats

Apple has released a set of mind-boggling stats today, underlining just how prosperous and powerful the mobile market has become in recent years. At 40 billion apps downloaded since the store launched, the App Store is positively booming and shows no signs of slowing down.

GI.Biz reports that half of the app stales that make up the 40 billion total happened in 2012. That's around 20 billion app sales in one whole year.

December was the store's busiest month on record, with some 2 billion app downloads recorded. Some name-dropped success stories include Temple Run, which enjoyed 75 million downloads in 2012 alone, and DragonVale from Backflip Studios and Clash of Clans from Supercell both earned a combined $100 million in revenue for the year. Drinks are on them it seems.

Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of internet software and services said of the stats, "It has been an incredible year for the iOS developer community. Developers have made over $7 billion on the App Store, and we continue to invest in providing them with the best ecosystem so they can create the most innovative apps in the world."

Yikes. Should consoles be worried, especially after the reveal of Nvidia's Project Shield? Or is there little to worry about? Discuss below.