The Messages App Store has grown to more than 1,650 applications and sticker packs in the nine days since iOS 10 launched to the public, according to new data gathered by Sensor Tower (via TechCrunch). Unsurprisingly, the most popular type of Messages app is the sticker pack, which accounts for 1,251 of the total apps on the storefront. The other 402 include entertainment, news, and gaming-related apps. Although stickers remain the dominant app category in Messages, due to a handful of fun and free packs users can download, the store is largely outweighed by paid sticker packs. Specifically, there are 944 paid sticker packs on the Messages store, and just 307 free sticker packs. The pricing of the paid packs is mostly at the $0.99 price point (86 percent of the packs cost this much), but there are some that are $1.99 (12 percent), $2.99 (1 percent), and $3.99 (only 1 pack in the entire store is priced at this amount). Within the 402 non-sticker apps, games are the most popular experiences, with 91 gaming apps available to download in Messages. It beats the second most-popular category by over half, with Entertainment coming in second (39 apps), followed by Utilities (31 apps), Productivity (26 apps), and Social Networking (25 apps). The new Sensor Tower data does not disclose which apps are the most downloaded by users, however. Stickers are the easy way to visualize and explain the new features of Messages, but there are multiple useful apps in the App Store that provide streamlined ways to communicate with friends and family members. Fandango allows you to quickly pick a film and showtime to propose a movie date with someone, Square Cash can send money between you and a contact without opening the full app, and OpenTable facilitates dinner decisions through voting on restaurants and even putting down a reservation. As the Messages App Store continues to grow, older apps are contributing updates that add in Messages functionality -- like Tinder and Fallout Shelter -- alongside all-new apps exclusively designed for Messages. Check out the MacRumors guide for finding and installing sticker packs if you're not sure how to start using the new features in Messages. Article Link: Messages App Store Has Grown to Over 1,650 Apps, 75% of Them Stickers
I got the Mario and Peanuts sticker packs the other day. They’re pretty good and provided a little bit of fun for me and some friends. I'm surprised at how many are already available so soon too!
If this is the update for Mac hardware that I can actually print and stick these onto my hardware I'll scream!
The new Messages app has destroyed any semblance of maturity I thought I had. I'm like a kid in a candy shop.
Games!! Pool, Poker, Battleships, Chess... it's pretty great, though a little clumsy with not being realtime.
Honestly, I'm enjoying Grammar Snob. Got to rib a friend with it the other day and it was hilarious. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grammar-snob/id1153479737?mt=8
I think the messages app store also contains applications that work with messages like ordering food or scheduling meetings. apps w/ Messages Extensions. On another note, a 3D Touch iPad would rock!
It just goes to show that Apple knows what they're doing in terms of marketing and giving what people want. There's a big market for these kind of things targeting a certain demographic, albeit not mine. Although, I have found it a bit amusing at times and annoying most of the time but eh, it's fine.
The app integration is pretty useless. Tried yelp/OpenTable and had to launch both apps to actually search for anything relevant. Yeah, I have bought every other iPad since original but skipped the iPad Pro (9.7"). One of the most insignificant updates AND a price increase to boot. They better be prepping 3D Touch to justify all this talk of it being a PC replacement.
Is their anyway to rearrange the app drawer when you swipe thru the applications? I tend to always use the app that's far away..
Yes. Tap the 4 dots on the left then press and hold on the pack icons until they wiggle and then you can rearrange them.
Of course, now that I'm trying to rearrange mine, it's not taking. Edit: Finally, it took. Not sure why it was being fussy though.
LOVE Apple, Mac, iOS stats. Good or bad, I eat them for breakfast. --- Post Merged, Sep 23, 2016 --- I was seriously considering a unique, never before seen concept, sticker pack priced at $9.99. Will that price point not be possible?