Smartphones and app stores have radically transformed the software marketplace and enhanced consumer choice.
Once too expensive for most users and developers, smartphones now rely on safe, trustworthy and vibrant marketplaces for software applications. Consumers can now easily access nearly 2 million apps available on major app distribution platforms — including the Google Play Store, the Apple App Store and the Amazon App Store — discovering and instantly downloading new apps every day. Developers continually innovate and transform their big ideas into apps that consumers around the world can access and download with confidence that they are safe and secure.
To ensure a convenient and secure marketplace, app stores vet software applications for malware through human and machine review, provide secure payment systems and offer developers additional tools and infrastructure to help them succeed.
For example, since the launch of Apple’s App Store in 2008, developers have earned more than $120 billion worldwide and have created 1.5 million jobs across America. The App Store provides developers with access to the nearly one billion Apple device owners worldwide, as well as additional resources to help developers configure coding, perform on-device app testing, view sales and financial reports and more.
The app store model is built on consumer trust, which is why platforms invest time and energy into protecting users from exposure to damaging software attacks and fraud. This secure architecture has created an app economy valued at $1.7 trillion.
As we are reminded every day, keeping app software secure is an ongoing challenge. Threats emerge daily and bad actors continue to try to exploit security and safety measures through spyware campaigns and cyberattacks. That’s where the App Security Project comes in.