TechCrunch reports that fears of AI rendering traditional apps obsolete are overblown. The outlet cites data showing new app releases surged 60% year-over-year in early 2026 across the App Store and Google Play, with iOS specifically up 80%. Quality software is still shipping, even as AI coding tools lower the barrier to entry.
More apps sounds good. More apps also means more noise. When AI makes building cheap, the scarce resource shifts from creation to discovery and trust. That hands power to Apple's editorial picks, ranking algorithms, and whatever recommendation layer comes next. The winners are developers with a clear point of view. Everyone else competes in a pile.
This is good news for software makers with conviction and bad news for the myth that merit alone rises in a crowded store. AI didn't kill the app. It killed the fantasy that a good idea finds its audience on its own. The platforms that control visibility now control outcomes. Developers who can't get featured or ranked are shipping into a void, no matter how solid the product.
Filed to the Media desk · Aug 2