App Store Chaos

This article examines the surge of AI-assisted app development, or 'vibecoding,' and its impact on the App Store. Citing Sensor Tower data, it reports a 30% increase in new apps in 2025 and a doubling in early 2026, with total releases on pace to exceed the 2016 peak. However, download growth remains minimal (3% in 2025, 2% in early 2026), leading to severe discoverability issues and a chaotic market reminiscent of the early gold rush but without the profits. The article notes a trend of developers contacting media post-launch, often with zero reviews, and discusses both the challenges and the democratizing potential of AI coding tools like Codex and Claude Code. It concludes that while the App Store is currently imbalanced, it will eventually find equilibrium, offering hidden gems for app enthusiasts.