Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, has penned an open letter celebrating what he calls a “groundbreaking year for entertainment.” The long-time Apple executive touts Apple’s array of services, including Apple TV+, the App Store, and more.
Cue’s letter is included as part of a press release from Apple in which the company recaps the past year of the App Store, TV+, and more. The company touts that developers selling digital goods and services on the App Store have earned more than $320 billion since its 2008 launch. This is up from $260 billion one year ago. Apple also reiterates that there are now 900 million paid subscriptions across the App Store and its services.
In his letter, Cue touts that Apple has the “privilege of partnering with creators of all kinds” to help aid in its goals to “enrich people’s lives and to leave the world better than we found it.”
Here are Cue’s full remarks:
2022 was a groundbreaking year for entertainment. At some point over the past year, you probably discovered a new app, a new song, a new TV show or movie, or game. An experience that made you laugh, taught you something new, or helped you see the world in a new way — and moved you to share it with others.
It’s remarkable how much great content is at our fingertips; that’s a testament to the extraordinary work of creators worldwide. Never before have we enjoyed instant access to more cinematic original series, more engaging films, more global music, more creative apps, more essential journalism, and more immersive games and sports — no matter where you are, across all your favorite devices.
At Apple, we have the privilege of partnering with creators of all kinds, while building products and services that enable even more creativity. Our mission has always been to enrich people’s lives and to leave the world better than we found it, and we know that takes more than technical skill. It requires leading with our values in everything we do. We believe that our products and services should be made for everyone. We believe that privacy is a fundamental human right, and that our highest obligation to our customers is security. We believe that a culture where everybody belongs can drive innovation, and that we must stand up for the change we want to see in the world.
When we started Apple TV+ a few years ago, we did so to tell stories that reflect our broader humanity. And whether it was CODA winning the Oscar for Best Picture or Ted Lasso winning back-to-back Emmys for Best Comedy, we have seen, in so many ways, the validation of this kind of storytelling and the strong desire for more of it.
And believe me: There’s much more to come. Moments to anticipate, enjoy, and reflect upon. Moments that will have us jumping up with excitement or at the edge of our seats, or that make us want to get up and dance. Moments that can create lasting memories and bring us closer to one another.
Other notable statistics from today’s press release from Apple:
- Apple Music now features over 100 million songs, representing nearly the entire history of recorded music
- 300 wins and 1,305 nominations for Apple TV+
- 250 million in-game achievements playing Apple Arcade games since 2022
- 3,000 professionally narated audio stories on Apple News+
- Apple Arcade subscribers have unlimited access to an evolving collection of over 200 games
- 2022 was also a milestone year for Shazam, marking the service’s 20th anniversary with 70 billion all-time Shazams
- In 2022, Apple Fitness+ became available to iPhone users to subscribe to and enjoy in 21 countries, even if they don’t have an Apple Watch, and grew the library to 3,500 workouts and meditations
- New Apple Maps mapping new rolled out in 13 additional countries and territories around the world
- Apple Pay is now available to millions of merchants in nearly 70 countries and regions, and works with more than 10,000 bank and network partners worldwide
You can find Apple’s full press release right here on its website.
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