Apple on Monday announced that more than 40 billion "apps" have been downloaded for its beloved gadgets, with the California company paying out billions of dollars to developers.

Nearly half of those downloads for iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch devices were done last year, with the App Store seeing a record-setting December in which two billion copies of mini-programs were snatched up.

"It has been an incredible year for the iOS developer community," said Apple senior vice president of Internet software and services Eddy Cue.

There are more than 500 million active accounts at the App Store, which is stocked with more than 775,000 applications for iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch devices, according to Apple.

Apple said that the amount of money it has paid out to app makers has topped seven billion dollars.

A Temple Run game made for Apple gadgets by a husband-and-wife team at Imangi Studios was downloaded more than 75 million times, while the studios behind games DragonVale and Clash of Clans brought in a combined total of $100 million.

"The success of our game Temple Run in 2012 was nothing short of astonishing," said Imangi Studios co-founder Keith Shepherd.

"We were simply looking to create a game that was fun and easy to play, but once it hit the App Store, the game took off."

The App Store is available in 155 countries.