App users splashed out a record $10 billion in Apple’s App Store during 2013, taking developer earnings – since the store’s introduction in 2008 – to $15 billion.

Developers’ cumulative revenue stood at $7 billion a year ago, less than half the current total.

December 2013 was the most successful month in the history of the App Store, with more than $1 billion in sales and nearly three billion app downloads.

In November, analyst firm Distimo found that the App Store continued to lead Google Play in revenue terms with 63 per cent of the total across the two stores. The vast majority (92 per cent) of App Store revenue came from in-app purchases.

However, it previously noted that Google Play’s share of combined revenue increased from 25 per cent to 35 per cent between March and August 2013, as strong growth for the Android store contrasted to stability for its older rival.

Apple touted the introduction of iOS 7 in 2013, allowing developers to improve their apps with a redesigned user interface and more than 200 new features and APIs.

The App Store now offers more than one million apps to users in 155 countries, including more than 500,000 native iPad apps.

Google Play passed the one million app milestone in July.