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A Blast from the Past: 10 Years in the App Store

This week, we are celebrating a BIG anniversary: ten years in the App Store! Around the office, we’ve been eating lots of food, swapping stories, and being nostalgic. Olive Tree has come a long way since its beginnings. But did you know that we have been putting the Bible on phones long before the App Store?

A VISUAL HISTORY OF OLIVE TREE

Some of these images are almost embarrassing to share since technology has come such a long way over the past decade. But we hope you’ll enjoy this throwback as much as we do.

It started with a website.

Like most things tech-related, we started with a website, providing people with access to the Bible on the Internet.

Then came Palm Pilots.

Not too long after, we began putting our Bible Reader program on Palm Pilots. Although it wasn’t the most beautiful program, it was definitely innovative during its time.

The expansion of cell phones.

As cell phones grew in popularity, we continued to find ways to make our Bible Reader program accessible.

Then, the App Store began.

Ten years ago, the App Store began, and we were quick to get our app up and running for iOS devices.

As time passed and apps gained more functionality and fancier designs, we stayed up-to-date. It has been a marathon, but we are so thankful to share God’s Word with others around the world.

OLIVE TREE TODAY: 10 YEARS IN THE APP STORE

Our app has been installed over 6,500,000 times in the past ten years. We are so thankful first to God, for giving us the ability to participate in His restorative plan of teaching others about Himself, and second, to you. Without our faithful users who make studying the Bible a priority, we wouldn’t have made it as far as we have today. Thanks for sticking with us. We can’t wait to see where we will be in another ten years.

To celebrate, we’ve put together a sale just for you. Head on over to our website to see some fantastic resources discounted to a really low price.

How long have you been using Olive Tree? Share below in the comments!

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31 Comments

  1. Donald Keiffer

    I have been using the Olive Tree Bible app since the Palm Pilot days. Enjoyed it then, enjoy it now. Thank you Olive Tree!

    • Shawn Pete

      I bought the application when it was on Palm Pilots too. I bought the program for my Android phones and tablets because I can’t find a better program for studying the bible. Too bad my purchased books couldn’t transfer. Eventually I will have my collection on my Android devices.

      • Joe Carter

        I have items on my iPhone and iPad that I purchased from OliveTree when I had a Palm Pilot (m105) and Sony Clié! If you have product boxes or screenshots of your Palm library, those items that are still available can be registered to your account by the support team (I think!). I used the app for years before I started working at OliveTree, and I’ve been here almost 8 years now!

    • Peter A.

      Happy Anniversary, You’ve rocked the mobile bible !

      • Donald Keiffer

        Hello Joe
        Are you going to be in the Bakersfield area any time soon, would like to meet.
        Is Olive Tree going to be at the Genesis seminar in Bakersfield in October?

  2. David Howard

    I have been using since Windows CE, not sure if it was a Casio Win CE 2.11 version, or an HP 540 with Windows CE 3.0, but a long time ago! Thanks for everything!

  3. Jeff

    Yep. Been there since the Palm days and loaded Olive Tree on day one when it came to the App Store! Still my main tool for teaching and preaching.

  4. SA Gordon

    Started using OT with my Palm Treo. Still use it on iPhone and iPad today.

  5. Hoot urick

    I an slow on learning how to move through the app. Need lots of help, I love how the nkjv is written just Need help

  6. Cmolieri

    My first purchase whas The Message on my Palm. I was so excited when my Treo died and I discovered I could still use it on an Android device. I avoided Apple for a long time because I did not want to give up my OliveTree app. Now I have it on my phone, still using and android, and my iPad. Still love it.

  7. John Zucchero

    My first device was the Kyocera Palm flip phone. I loved that phone. Since then I have had Windows Mobile phones, Android devices, and iOS devices, as well as Windows and Mac interfaces. Just keeps getting better.

  8. Margaret

    Palm Pilot was my introduction to Olive Tree! It ‘s now installed on all my “stuff” – that way wherever I am I have Olive Tree with me – no excuse. Of course it’s on my PC too, ready for the heavy-duty study! Thank you, Olive Tree!

  9. Daniel Cotroneo

    I too have been using since the early Palm Pilot days. Olive Tree has been my main Bible since. Thank you for such an awesome resource.

  10. John Hicks

    I still have my Palm Pilot, and the only reason is it still has that original program, along with a Beta version with some neat additional features in it, and I can use it during study as an extra screen. I have today’s version on all my devices. It is indispensable.

  11. Morris

    First had Olive Tree Bible Study on two Palm OS devices; now I have it on iPhone, iPad, iMac and MacBookPro. Olive Tree makes the best portable bible study, reference and version and/or language comparison App! Thanks for this product.

  12. Singing Ruby

    I still have the SD card with the software.

  13. scott

    Well, this takes me back. Had it on my palm pilot in the day, I remember taking notes using the graffiti fonts. lol, good times.

  14. Christopher Fry

    Thanks so much for your amazing offering, guys. I’ve used my app across my devices in personal prayer, reading up on theologians, as well as preparation for use of scripture while leading worship.

    In the next 10 years, I foresee (pun intended!) that you make the app available on my interactive contact lenses, that it it projects scripture onto my retinas while leading God’s people in song…..THAT would be amazing!

  15. Mark Ritchie

    Congratulations Olive Tree team! I’ve been using the product since Palm IIIxe. I loved it when I discovered that my NASB bought so long ago was still a valid license on my smart phones. Now I’ve bought dozens of resources and use you on iPhone, iPad, and PC. Thanks for everything.

  16. Johan Verwey

    Memory lane!! Started with Olive Tree on a Sony Ericsson P900 in 2003. I have notes in my Bible apps of 10 and more years back. You guys did a fantastic job. Lately I have Olivetree on my iPhone and iPad and have not read a paper Bible in years, but stay in touch with updates of the multiple Bibles on my devices!

  17. Mike Dunning

    The Palm Pilot version looked familiar after I shook some dust out of my brain. Olive Tree was one of a very short list of programs that had to be in the App Store before I could retire my barely working T5 and replace it with an iPod Touch (I wasn’t on an iPhone until the Verizon version was released). Happy Anniversary!

  18. Chris Golding

    Me… FIrst device for Olive Tree, a colour screen BlackBerry 8120. 2018 and it’s an iPhone, iPad and Mac. Thanks for reminding us of your begginings and congrats on staying the best Bible app.

  19. Eric J H

    I too had a Palm top, and now I’m able to thank God for my mobile which is my constant companion. It’s primary function is to contain my Olive Tree library, my joy when I wake up in the middle of the night, I can turn to the Word of God with great joy.

  20. Graham

    I’m another one who has been using it since the Palm Pilot days then on to a HP Pocket PC then iPhone/iPad and Mac.
    Keep up the good work on the best electronic Bible software I’ve used.
    God bless

  21. Randy

    My Palm is in a drawer. Haven’t checked to see if it works in about 10 years! Whatever books I had on it transferred well, especially thanks to an Olive Tree employee who worked tirelessly to see that I have a 1984 NIV bible. It wouldn’t transfer over, but he figured a workaround. You folks are the best. Thanks!

  22. Andrew Duguid

    Wow, so many others like me who started using your app in the Palm Pilot days. Now a dedicated Android fan and it is on all on my devices as well as my laptop. Thanks for being around (& this memory)

  23. Norman Schrock

    I went from a Palm Pilot, to a Palm Centro, to an iPhone. All along I was using OliveTree. Thanks for your great work throughout the years. Lord bless.

  24. Frank Pool

    I began using Olive tree Bible on my Palm… wow, time flies ! I am glad you have kept up to date. I am a fan of Olive Tree bibles and strongly recommend it.

  25. Len

    Having problems in finding how “big” the current NKJV Bible. If I d/l the whole Bible, how many mega will I get? Or gigs?
    Or T-bytes? Can I d/l a book at a time? For example, how big is Genesis or Isaiah? Just need a clue and I can figure out the rest. There is not wnough time to go through all the info posted here!
    TIA