Apple reportedly saw US App Store spending fall for the first time in a decade, and Tim Sweeney has thoughts
Apple’s US App Store experienced its first year-over-year revenue decline in a decade during Q2 2026, with consumer spending falling 6% compared to 9% growth in the same quarter the previous year, according to Sensor Tower estimates.
The decline was directly attributed to the outcome of Apple’s ongoing legal dispute with Epic Games. Following a court ruling in the case, Apple was forced to allow developers to direct players to external payment links without taking its traditional 30% commission. This regulatory change significantly impacted the App Store’s established revenue model, which had remained largely consistent for the entire decade of tracked data.
While Sensor Tower provided the primary analysis, corroborating estimates from Appfigures confirmed the spending downturn. The contraction marks a watershed moment for the App Store, which had maintained consistent year-over-year growth throughout the previous decade before this recent decline.