Another blow to boxed software: Apple brings its App Store to Macs

October 20, 2010 11:31 AM
Anthony Ha

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Traditional software seems pretty unsexy nowadays, compared to what you can find in mobile app stores. So it’s clear why Apple announced today that it will be bringing its App Store, developed for the iPhone and other mobile devices, to the desktop.

In other words, Apple has created a new gateway for folks selling software for Macs. As with the App Store on other devices, users will be able to download apps with just a click, and there will be free and paid apps (revenue from the paid apps will be divided 70-30 between the developer and Apple). Apps will include automatic updates and will be licensed for use on all your Mac devices. You will be able to open App Store apps in full screen mode, and to access and arrange all of them through a feature called Launchpad.

What does that mean for traditional software on the Mac? It’s not totally clear. Chief executive Steve Jobs emphasized that when it comes to finding apps, the App Store “won’t be the only place, but [it'll] be the best place.” Certainly, if the App Store becomes the main way to get software onto Macs, that could create even more concerns about Apple’s approval process.

Apple made the announcement at its “Back to the Mac” event today. In addition to bringing the App Store to the Mac, the company said it is also bringing out improvements to its own iLife desktop suite.

While the App Store was included in the announcements for OS X Lion (the upcoming version of the Mac operating system), it will also be available for the current version, Snow Leopard, in the next 90 days.

[photo: Dean Takahashi]

http://www.apostolapostolov.com Apostol Apostolov

This is great. Scale of economy will soon cut OSX app prices in half, and everyone should be happy.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Raj-Kumar-Dash/617328091 Raj Kumar Dash

Everyone should be happy? Not sure how happy developers will be, unless this move results in more units sold. But can Apple really make the approval process work for desktop software? I seriously doubt that small software publishers are going want their revenues ruined having to wait weeks for approval. Personally, I think the current distribution model works just fine, though I do like the idea of Mac App Store as an option. Might be worth split testing direct sales and Mac App Store sales.
http://www.apostolapostolov.com Apostol Apostolov

Mac isn't becoming a closed platform, it's getting a central store that is intended to move results into more units sold. This is very close to Android where Android Market guarantees most exposure, but anyone can develop apps and sell them separately the same way PC/Mac products have been sold until now.
http://www.minusthesuck.com Kelly Anderson

A central location to find, evaluate, purchase and download software for my computer is great and I will be happy to have this available to me. As long as they don't make the move to make the Mac app store the only option to get software onto your mac I think this will be an overall good thing. I suspect there will still be some level of review to get into this app store, it is just not Apple's style to let “Offensive” material mix with their brand.
http://twitter.com/gorash aaaaaaaaa

Meh, this is already available on Ubuntu. Windows needs to do something similar.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LT3PAU5FSRGMK3TOQNNU7MZC4A Equityman

This is brilliant and will change desktop delivery just like iphone app store changed mobile forever. Jobs does it yet again. Win for consumers. Win for developers. Win for Apple.
http://www.venturebeat.com Anthony Ha

That's possible, though some of the developers I've spoken to are already uneasy about the market pressure in the iPhone app store to price cheaply.