Whether you want to take a selfie for the ’Gram, tweet your thoughts, or keep your favorite music at your fingertips, celebrate the marvelous world of apps on National App Day on December 11. Not only do apps make life easier, but they have also created a huge number of employment opportunities for developers, social media warriors, and of course, influencers.
History of National App Day
It seems wild now to think that there was a life without apps, and the fact that they haven’t even been around for too long is even more unbelievable considering their prominence in today’s society. Although computers are equipped with apps, people primarily use them on mobile devices and tablets. Today, even basic phone functions like sending a text message or making a call are done through apps.In the 1980s, Psion — a London-based company, launched the Psion Organiser, widely considered to be the first-established PDA device. The functions of the Organiser weren’t much, but it did come with features like a calculator, text editor, agenda, and contacts. This set a precedent for future mobile-app developments.It was the visionary Steve Jobs who first came up with the idea of an ‘App Store’ back in 1983. He envisioned a database where software could be purchased over calls. Along with the advent of the revolutionary iPod by Apple, the iTunes store was launched, paving the way for Apple’s future App Store. In 2007, the first iPhone was introduced to the world, and a year later, the App Store was introduced.There were only about 500 apps when the App Store was launched originally, meaning it is difficult to identify the official first app ever to be released. Nevertheless, as more and more smartphones were unveiled, various app clients were also launched. These include Google Play for Android, BlackBerry’s App World, and Amazon’s Appstore.With app downloads reaching more than 175 billion in the year 2017, C.J. Thompson, founder of the mobile marketing agency Platinum Edge Media, created National App Day. The day is celebrated on December 11 and promotes the collective culture of apps and innovation.
National App Day timeline
Nokia launched its 6110 mobile phone, featuring what many consider to be the first mobile app — the arcade game “Snake”.
Apps rose to popularity with the release of Apple’s iPhone.
The word ‘app’ was declared Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society in 2010.
Users downloaded a whopping 204 billion apps.
National App Day FAQs
Why is National App Day celebrated?
From switching the lights on or off to playing your favorite music, apps have changed our lives for the better. The day celebrates all these wonderful apps in our lives, as well as the developer teams behind them.
Is there an app for local TV and Radio channels?
There are multiple apps that let viewers watch and record live TV channels. An example of this is the USA TV & Radio free app, available on Android.
When is Programmers’ Day celebrated?
The Day of the Programmer is celebrated on the 256th day of each year.
How To Celebrate National App Day History
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Download new apps
What better way to celebrate the day than by expanding your app library? Download a new app/s from the Play Store, App Store, or Microsoft Store.
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Leave a rating
Developers work hard to make sure apps operate seamlessly and that bugs are minimized. Leave a rating for your favorite app and maybe even a review to thank the developers.
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Use the hashtag #NationalAppDay
The founder of National App Day himself thought of this one, and urge users to post about their favorite apps using the hashtag #NationalAppDay
5 Facts About Apps That Will Blow Your Mind
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King of apps
Facebook reigns as the most downloaded app of all time.
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A whole world of undiscovered apps
On the Apple App Store, over 60% of apps have never been downloaded.
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Apps > Websites
A recent study showed that people prefer apps over websites.
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Loads to play with on the Play Store
Google’s Play Store has the highest number of apps available — over 2.8 million.
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China has its own app variations
China has banned mainstream social apps like Facebook and WhatsApp, and instead has its own versions, Weibo and Renren.
Why We Love National App Day
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Dawn of a new era
App culture is the future. Just like watches and TVs, apps bring with them the next technological era.
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The developers deserve a pat on the back
Apps wouldn’t exist without the software developers behind each one of them. While National App Day mostly focuses on apps, the developer teams get to be in the limelight too!
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We can’t imagine life without Instagram
A lot of popular apps like Facebook and WhatsApp have websites, but there are apps like Instagram and Snapchat that are strictly enjoyed on smartphones. And we love it!
National App Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | December 11 | Sunday |
| 2023 | December 11 | Monday |
| 2024 | December 11 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | December 11 | Thursday |
| 2026 | December 11 | Friday |
