Vibe coding appears to be more than just a buzzword — its impact is now being seen in real-world data.
According to new figures from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), iOS app releases have surged 60% year-over-year since the launch of “agentic coding,” the AI-driven development model that powers what many are calling the vibe coding era. After three years of flat growth, the data suggests a clear turning point for app developers — and for how software gets made.
For much of 2022 through early 2025, the number of new iOS apps released each month barely budged, fluctuating around zero growth. But after the debut of agentic coding tools in early 2025, the trend flipped sharply upward. By December 2025, app releases were up 60% year-over-year, with the trailing twelve-month growth rate climbing to 24%, according to data compiled by Sensor Tower and Wells Fargo Securities.
So what changed? Agentic coding — often described as “AI agents that can code themselves” — allows developers to create apps through conversational prompts instead of manual coding. It automates everything from generating code to testing and deploying apps, drastically shortening development cycles. That means solo developers and small teams can now ship apps at a pace once reserved for large organizations.
The acceleration could mark the beginning of a new App Store boom, reminiscent of the early 2010s. “We’re seeing a fundamental shift in the speed of software creation,” one a16z analyst noted in a recent commentary. “Agentic systems are turning code into a collaborative process between humans and AI — and that’s changing who builds apps, and how fast they get built.”
If the trend continues, vibe coding might not just be a passing tech fad. It could be the next major leap in software productivity — and a signal that the AI-driven future of development has officially arrived.