• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, September 28, 2009

Apple announced Monday that more than 2 billion applications have been downloaded from the App Store, a half-billion in just the last quarter. Apple also said there are now more than 85,000 apps available for the more 50 million iPhones and iPod touches and 125,000 developers creating apps for the devices.

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

The App Store hit the 1 billion mark in April and as the overall number of iPhone and iPod touch users continues to grow, the rate at which apps are downloaded is accelerating, according to Apple Insider.

Apple previously announced reaching 1.5 billion downloads in its first 12 months when the store turned 1 year-old in July. Since opening, the App Store has averaged 4.5 million downloads per day, and in the last 80 days that figure has jumped to 6.3 million, says Apple Insider. There just may be something to this whole app thing.

While the iPhone gets most of the glory, Ed Kaczmarek, director of innovation, new services, at Kraft, advised at the Apps for Brands conference last week not to overlook the iPod touch in app promotional campaigns. He called the device a "little sleeping giant" in its ability to extend the reach and effectiveness of campaigns. Of the 50 million iPhones and iPod touches worldwide, 20 million are touches.