Free iOS apps offer from Apple has developers cheering

It's an anniversary for one of Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) most popular services, but for reasons that haven't been fully explained, it's app users who are getting all the gifts.

Shortly before the company's App Store turned five years old, Apple began making a series of its most popular iOS titles free for the first time. Some of the apps on the list are originally relatively pricey, while others represent some of its biggest hits, including Tiny Wings and Where's My Water? Beyond the obvious benefits to consumers, the interest in free apps might encourage them to browse other apps, boosting the discoverability possibilities for developers.

Not surprisingly, developers were quick to share the news among their followers on Twitter. For some it was just a moment of pure excitement:

Although many apps are only 99 cents to begin with, there were suggestions that consumers could get real value by taking advantage of Apple's anniversary sale.

A number of developers and users not only shared the news but used it as an opportunity to promote their own apps on the list or simply their personal favorites:

Of course, this being Apple, there are always a few conspiracy theories: