Unfortunately, PHP does not have the getter and setter syntax you are referring to. It has been proposed, but it didn't make it into PHP (yet).
First of all, __get() is only executed if you are trying to access a property that can't be accessed (because it is protected or private, or because it does not exist). If you are calling a property that is public, __get() will never be executed.
However, I would not suggest using PHP's magic getters and setters unless you really have no other choice. They are slower, tend to become a long if/elseif/else mess very quickly, and code completion (using a smart IDE) will not work. Normal methods are a lot simpler and easier to understand. You should also read this answer.
I have used the __get() and __set() methods for a while (instead of manually created getFoo() and setFoo() methods), because it seemed like a good idea, but I've changed my mind after a short time.
So, in your case, I recommend writing normal methods:
<?phpclass Test{ /** * @var App[] */ private $apps; /** * Returns an array containing all apps * * @return App[] */ public function getApps() { return $this->apps; } /** * Returns the number of apps * * @return integer */ public function getAppsCount() //or call it countApps() { return count($this->apps); }}