I've tracked 445 Apple launches since 2021. Volume alone is misleading. A category can have fewer launches but higher engagement per product (maturation) or exploding volume with declining quality (saturation). You need both numbers.
Five years of Apple launch data. Volume, engagement, and the products that stood out.
I've tracked 445 Apple launches since 2021. Volume alone is misleading. A category can have fewer launches but higher engagement per product (maturation) or exploding volume with declining quality (saturation). You need both numbers.
| Quarter | Launches | Avg Interest Score | Top Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2026 | 27 | 107 | OMEGA Ω™ |
| Q2 2026 | 3 | 133 | Shotwell |
| Q1 2025 | 24 | 170 | Usage |
| Q2 2025 | 25 | 132 | Alter |
| Q3 2025 | 26 | 109 | Dockify |
| Q4 2025 | 27 | 131 | Rubber Duck |
| Q1 2024 | 28 | 119 | Clicks |
| Q2 2024 | 18 | 179 | iOS 18 |
| Q3 2024 | 9 | 149 | tinyPod |
| Q4 2024 | 16 | 196 | CleanMyMac |
| Q1 2023 | 17 | 93 | Apple Music Classical |
| Q2 2023 | 23 | 108 | Any Distance 4.0: Active Clubs |
| Q3 2023 | 24 | 133 | Astro |
| Q4 2023 | 27 | 119 | Trace AI |
| Q1 2022 | 12 | 111 | Bizarre Travel App |
| Q2 2022 | 11 | 97 | Grace |
The Apple category has been steady over the past 6 years of tracked data. Total launches went from 102 in 2021 to 30 in 2026.
Average engagement ratio across all Apple launches sits at 0.18. Products above that threshold tend to serve a real, specific need. Products below it often entered a crowded market without sufficient differentiation.
Three common reasons. The market consolidated around winners. The technology matured and stopped generating new startups. Or builder attention shifted to adjacent categories. Usually it's a combination.
Volume without engagement is saturation. Engagement without volume is opportunity. Check which one you're looking at.
Sum of all interest scores in the quarter divided by number of products. Simple average. We don't weight by category or product age.
Depends on what's declining. If volume drops but engagement rises, the market is maturing. That's often good for existing players. If both drop, the category may be dying. The quarterly breakdown on each page tells you which pattern you're seeing.
At least three. Two data points is a line, not a trend. We have five years of data for most categories, which is enough to distinguish real shifts from noise.