According to AppsFire, Apple’s App Store has reached a new milestone: 1 million apps in the U.S. app store. Mobile development firms have optimized 473,000 of those for the iPad. Apple has not yet officially recognized the milestone.
In related news, Apple’s annual “12 Days of Gifts” promotion will run in the U.S. for the first time, and this year, the company will give away apps and books as well as music. (Apple has run this promotion in Europe, Russia, Canada and Japan previously.) The company will give away one item—an app, song, book or other download—for free to any iOS user who wants it, every day from December 26 through January 6. To get the free downloads, users will need the “12 Days of Gifts” app.