The iPhone is arguably Apple’s biggest success story. It’s easy to see why: revolutionary touch screen technology, an in built iPod, mobile internet browsing , email, calendar and a whole host of downloadable apps. The apps, some argue, are one of the key reasons that the phone has experienced such success.

No real surprise there. The app store has more than 190,000 different apps and has, since its launch, enjoyed more than 5 billion downloads. A win-win situation, you could say. Developers all over the world can create applications and distribute them widely, either at a cost or for free. Apple gets a commission on paid apps. The end user then benefits from a constantly growing selection of applications for their handset.

The variety of apps available is staggering. Available for download are utilities, informational apps, games, eCommerce and everything in between. There is such a range of apps that the potential for developing a new, never done before app is decreasing, and the likelihood is that there is already an app for that.

Some of the most popular apps are from well known online businesses such as eBay and Amazon, who create eCommerce applications, enabling their users to shop on the move. Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter also have apps that allow users to stay connected. But the most downloaded apps are host to a surprising number of small companies. No one had heard of Lima Sky LLC before the addictive iPhone game, ‘Doodle Jump’ became one of the top grossing apps of all time.

The top downloaded apps highlight essentially what everyone loves about apps on the iPhone – diversity. From turning your phone into a torch, to playing virtual drums or networking with potential business contacts, you can get apps to do it all. And what with the recent release of the iPhone 4 and its enhanced functionality, the variety is set only to increase.  

Check out this iPhone torch app from Tecmark, iPhone app developer Manchester