Created by YouVersion, the Bible App was one of the first 200 free apps available when Apple launched the App Store on 10th July 2008.
In the decade since, it has been downloaded on more than 330 million devices and in every country of the world.
"We never could have predicted the results we've seen as millions of people around the world have read, listened to, shared and interacted with the Bible and each other in new ways," said Bobby Gruenewald, YouVersion founder and pastor of Life Church.
In the last decade, people have used the app to:
- Read 70 billion chapters of the Bible
- Listen to 12 billion audio chapters of the Bible
- Make 4 billion highlights, bookmarks and notes
- Complete 2.4 billion Bible Plan days
"Early on, we discovered that proximity helped us engage with the Bible," said Gruenewald. "As soon as I had access to the Bible on the phone that's always in my pocket, my connection to it naturally became more frequent."
The app, which initially launched with 15 versions and two languages, has since partnered with publishers and Bible societies to offer more than 1,700 different versions, including the text in more than 1,200 languages.
With smartphones propelling social media platforms to new heights, the YouVersion community quickly adopted social sharing features as they were added to the app.
Over the last decade, users have shared more than 950 million verses, earning the Bible a prominent place in people's lives and social media feeds.
Recognising the opportunity to bring more relational interaction around the Bible, YouVersion introduced community features such as a home feed of friends' activity and the ability to study the Bible together.
"These last 10 years have been more than we could ask, think, or imagine, and we believe this is only the beginning," said Gruenewald. "As we look ahead, we're excited about the new ways God is using technology to help people make even more connections between the Bible and their daily lives."
YouVersion will soon launch Bible Lens, a new app that analyses the objects in a photo and detects biblical themes to suggest the Bible verse that best fits the photo. Then, it automatically creates an image of the verse that can be shared with friends.
It will also be able to create verse images from photos saved in a person's camera roll to help them rediscover every moment of their life through the lens of the Bible.
Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.
