It’s no surprise that, following the release of the iPhone 4S, free app downloads jumped way up. Thanks to a mobile ad firm called Fiksu, though, we know just how high those numbers went. It turns out that, in the month of November, the number of downloads of the top 200 applications in the US app store hit a record 5.65 million per day (this was the first month Fiksu’s numbers passed the 5 million mark).

It seems like the iPhone 4S came just in time, as the number of downloads had been dropping since June 2011, and hit a low of 3.8 million in September. According to Fiksu:

“As expected, and as we’ve seen before with new device launches, new owners’ enthusiasm is high and their appetite for app discovery and engagement is strong… This bears out in the numbers with daily app downloads hitting a new, all-time record peak reflecting heightened competition for rank in the Apple App Store. Additionally, the rapid adoption of iOS 5–and corresponding app updates–played a key role in this continued escalation in November.”

Now, for those familiar with the iOS and the App Store, it’s easy to see the trends in app downloads. After each major gift-giving holiday and iOS device release, certain apps top the ‘Top 25′ section. Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, Angry Birds, Doodle Jump, you know, the essentials. It’s no surprise that the number of free app downloads jumped after the debut of iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S, but it is impressive to see hard data.

I can only imagine the numbers the App Store will hit, in free apps as well as paid, following the record iOS sales this Christmas.

Via: CNET