In case you didn’t notice, App Store approvals have been stepped up considerably since the ball fell on Times Square to ring in the New Year.

Developers of all shapes & sizes are confirming the faster-paced approvals, according to AppleInsider, including Cootie Lert developer Jared Judd, who reports that his app was approved in just 48 hours -- and it was submitted over the weekend.

“Submitted it on Saturday, January 9th, and it got approved Monday, January 11th,” Judd wrote in an e-mail to AppleInsider. “So one of the two days was a Sunday.”

Apple disabled developer access to iTunes Connect from Dec. 23 through Dec. 28, but since its return, App Store developers have noted significant improvements in Apple’s ability to approve and push out apps.

“They have somehow gotten it down to a very very quick turnaround,” Judd concludes. “I’ve heard a number of people say that it’s been within 48 hours for them as well.”

That includes Atomic Cactus, a developer who reported the same results to TUAW. After previously experiencing wait times of two to three weeks, their application was approved in less than three days.

It’s a remarkable and refreshing change of pace from the horror stories reported throughout 2009, which included long delays and a total lack of communication from Apple. As developer anger increased (along with the bad press that accompanied it), Apple executive Phil Schiller stepped up to the plate in an effort to address the concerns.

At that time, Schiller revealed that the App Store had about 10,000 applications submitted every week, with an estimated 10 percent of those being rejected due to inappropriate content. Whether that tidal wave of applications has subdued or Apple has finally streamlined the approval process to make everyone happy, the end result is guaranteed to put a smile on the faces of both developers and customers alike.