At a Glance
- Apple logged 850 million weekly App Store users and over $100 billion in Apple Pay merchant sales in 2025
- Developer payouts reached $550 billion since 2008, doubling since 2021
- Apple Music achieved record listenership and subscriber growth amid Spotify controversies
Why it matters: Apple’s services momentum signals growing consumer reliance on its ecosystem and intensifying competition in music and streaming.
Apple closed 2025 with what senior vice president Eddy Cue calls a “record-breaking year” across its services portfolio, posting surging user numbers and revenue milestones that underscore the company’s expanding digital empire.
App Store and Apple Pay surge
The App Store averaged 850 million weekly users in 2025, up from 813 million the prior year. Apple Pay merchant sales topped $100 billion, and cumulative developer payouts climbed to $550 billion since the marketplace launched in 2008.
That payout figure has more than doubled since Apple last disclosed it in 2021, when the total stood at $260 billion. The company keeps a standard 30 percent commission on most in-app purchases, though developers earning under $1 million annually qualify for a reduced 15 percent rate.
The App Store’s payment structure remains under global regulatory scrutiny, with courts examining claims of monopolistic behavior.
Entertainment platforms hit new highs
Apple TV set all-time viewership records in December 2025, propelled by fresh hits “Pluribus” and “The Studio,” plus returning favorites like “Severance.” The service also benefited from streaming rights to Major League Soccer and Formula 1. Apple Studios’ F1 drama, starring Brad Pitt, became both the studio’s top-grossing film and the highest-grossing title of Pitt’s career.
Apple Music, long trailing Spotify, posted its best year ever for total listenership and new subscriber additions. The company credits its karaoke-style “Sing” feature, partnerships with GM and Chase, and the music-recognition app Shazam, which now logs more than 1 billion monthly song identifications.
Spotify backlash fuels growth
Some artists migrated to Apple Music after Spotify CEO Daniel Ek invested €600 million through his firm in Helsing, a European defense-tech supplier of AI-powered military software and strike drones. Acts including Xiu Xiu, Sylvan Esso, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, and Deerhoof pulled their catalogs from Spotify in protest.
Spotify has also faced criticism for hosting COVID-19 misinformation on Joe Rogan’s formerly exclusive podcast and for its artist-payment model. Apple Music’s three-month free trials, bundled with most new Apple devices, may further entice cost-conscious listeners.
Key takeaways
- Apple services are scaling rapidly, with App Store users and Apple Pay volume both hitting fresh peaks
- Developer payouts of $550 billion highlight the marketplace’s financial gravity
- Apple Music is capitalizing on competitor controversies to attract listeners and subscribers
- Original content and sports streaming deals are driving record Apple TV engagement
